A NEW LEASE of LIFE for AFRICAN RAIL L Destination 2040 CONTENTS

A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 3 BACKGROUND 4 STRATEGY – 5 DOMAINS

3 DOMAIN 1: MODERNISATION, DEVELOPMENT AND INTERCONNECTIVITY OF RAILWAYS IN AFRICA 13

3 DOMAIN 2: IMPROVING THE PRODUCT OFFERING FOR PASSENGERS AND BUSINESSES 14

3 DOMAIN 3: GOOD GOVERNANCE 16 3 DOMAIN 4: DEVELOPING SEAMLESS MULTIMODALITY 19 3 DOMAIN 5: PROMOTE REGIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE AND CONFIRM AFRICA’S PLACE ONTHE WORLD STAGE 21 THE TANGIER APPEAL 24 A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040 introduction

s part of its regional outreach programme, UIC plans to concentrate efforts on Africa in particular to contribute to the development of its A railway network. Of the 35 African countries with an operational railway network, only five (including Libya) are presently UIC active members, while others are affiliate members. While the immediate benefit of becoming an active member of IU C for African railways is clear, there are other untapped advantages to be gained as well, such as forging links in intermodal transport chains. A number of these countries (including small countries) could serve as essential building-blocks in international intermodal channels across Africa. Cooperation through a body such as UIC, by developing a strategy for the future for Africa, should therefore be seen as critically important. The “Africa Rail 2025” strategy for Africa’s railways, which was finalised and adopted in October 2012 at the 9th Regional Assembly in Tangiers, has reached a crucial stage. Africa is currently going through massive demographic growth and economic, political and social upheavals, marked by a sea change in communications infrastructure development. BGRACK OUND

4 CLEAR ADVANTAGES passengers or goods (including strategic goods), FOR EVERYONE avoiding congestion on the roads; Contrary to what is happening elsewhere, the railway network in Africa lacks density and still 3 Low cost to society has a massive potential to be realised in terms of A number of studies have demonstrated that a car productivity, which can only be harnessed through produces approximately 5 times more in external clear and energetic public action. costs per production unit (passenger-km) than And yet, there are many positive signs despite a passenger train, while a lorry produces 8 times this situation: railways are going through a revival more (per tonne-km) than a freight train. across the world, evidenced by the large number of major, pivotal projects either being planned or 3 Safety underway. Africa is very much part of this new Technical advances in safety systems mean that lease of life for railways, and has much to gain from rail has the highest resistance among all transport the undeniable advantages railway technology can modes to human error and freak weather condi- offer. tions; Railways are still the most attractive option for customers in terms of value for money. This is even 3 Energy efficiency more true if public authorities decide to internalise Railways are well known to be the least energy-in- the external costs of all transport modes, in order tensive mode of transport (0.009 litres of fuel/ to reflect its real cost to society and in terms of passenger-km or tonnes-km compared to 0.0125 L/ environmental protection: disturbances, noise, pol- VK for coaches, 0.017 L/VK large taxis and 0.04 L/ lution and accidents, etc. VK for lorries); Developing a railway system offers society a whole range of advantages, such as: 3 Space saving A double-track railway takes up a width of 15 m 3 Mass transit (max. flow of 15 700 passengers/hour/direction), One of the main features of railway transport is whereas a road needs 28 m (max. flow of 600 its ability to transport ever-increasing numbers of passengers/hour/direction); A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

3 Sustainability Passenger traffic was still below 49 billion passen- Electrification of the railways has made this mode ger-km in 2011, marking a 20% fall in the number of transport the least polluting. Studies have shown of people choosing rail compared to 2006, and that railways emit between 2-4% of the CO2 pro- accounting for only 2% of worldwide passenger duced by the whole of the transport sector, while volume. Populous countries, such as China and road transport produces between 96 and 98 %. India, alone represent over 1240 billion passenger-km, or 20 times the figure recorded forA frica. A NEED TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC AND PRODUCTIVITY Freight and logistics in 2011 reached approxima- Analysis of UIC data indicates that rail in Africa is tely 140 billion tonne-km, revealing a small reduc facing difficulty positioning itself on the domestic tion of 2% in relation to 2006 and amounting land transport market. Statistics from the past six to 7% of the global total. Countries such as years clearly show that there has been no notable Russia and China alone produce about 4700 bil- growth in railway traffic in the region over this lion tonne-km. period. As a result, the overall volume carried by rail is It should nonetheless be realised that this some still around 200 billion unit-km, of which 30% is what weak performance cannot be applied to all passenger and 70% freight. railway networks in Africa. In North and South This volume accounts for only 2% of global railway Africa, traffic figures have made significant pro- traffic, placingA frica last in terms of performance gress thanks to the effort and money invested for this indicator. in improving the product offering and adapting to customer expectations, as well as meeting This low level of traffic and quasi-stagnant struc- business needs. tural development in both passenger and freight What can be said overall is that railways have still are a symptom of the railways struggling to take up not managed to tap into spectacular economic and fulfil the role they should be playing in the so- growth in Africa over the past decade and have 5 cial and economic development of the continent. not yet managed to carve themselves a significant place on the international stage. Moreover, Quite aside from the negative impact of a whole railways have so far missed the opportunities series of events affecting the continent over the which lie in increasing mobility due to social and past years, such as recession, the world financial economic development and of the growing pace crisis, and the ‘Arab Spring’, which has reached of urbanisation and population growth in Africa. sub-Saharan Africa, it should be noted that the railways, given the way they are marketed today, PIVOTAL PROJECTS still have trouble winning market share, despite A s stressed above, socioeconomic development clear benefits for society and for sustainable de- in Africa and the culmination of the regional in- velopment. As testimony to this situation: tegration process require the support of major

distribution of world railway Passagers-km Tonne-km network per region in 2011 per region in 2011 per region in 2011

europa ASIa ASIa 23% europa ASIa 75% 38% 7% 33%

russia 7% europa russia 17% 22%

russia América 5% América 31% 32% Africa Africa Africa 1% 6% América 2% 1% BGRACK OUND

projects which will inject new momentum into the ture, there are other constraints such as funding, continent’s development. technology and even politics, which are exacerba- ting the delay in African development. As such, several local or regional projects and/or master plans have already been adopted and are TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL LIMITS being rolled out at a high level in the relevant coun- Although exceptions exist, the majority of the net tries, with a view to propelling trade both within work’s infrastructure is in a poor state of repair and Africa and with the rest of the world. These pro- no longer meets the standards required for effec- jects extend to a variety of levels, both regional and tive railway operations. sub-regional, across the continent. This is demonstrated by the following: Attempting to identify all ongoing projects of this j Age of tracks and track components: insufficient nature in Africa is no easy task (in terms of time ballast, worn rails, settling or subsidence of track and expense). For this reason it was decided that beds; presenting a selection of case studies illustrating j Signalling and telecom systems in bad condition the efforts being deployed to develop rail in Africa and/or absence of spare parts, which compro- would be useful for more inclusive and sustainable mises operational safety and means that opera- development. tions do not meet international standards; j Inadequate maintenance or renovation program Choosing a select portfolio of projects is appro- mes for rolling stock and fixed installations; priate to the scope of the present study, whose j Shortage of equipment and maintenance vehi ultimate goal is to identify the major strategic prio- cles; rities for rail development in Africa. j Poor availability of rolling stock; Let us recall that one of the strategic aims of this j Infrastructure lacks uniformity, making maintenan 6 brochure is to list the outcomes of African rail mas- ce work costly and time-consuming. For example , ter plans in recent decades. the network is made up of different gauges. j Lack of uniform procedures; This chapter will provide a brief overview of j Outdated and old fashioned management, com- planned or ongoing projects in different regions pounded by overstaffing and bureaucratic ma- across the continent. The purpose here is to sketch nagement which does not consider commercial out a roadmap for 2040, rather than offer in-depth viability and marketing, which are key to unders- analysis or judgement of the relevance of each of tanding customer needs and for designing effec- these projects and how they fit into a broader pic- tive strategies to meet those demands. ture of African infrastructure development. This situation is a reflection of the neglect suffered HURDLES by most of the railways in Africa in recent years, Although railways have a distinct competitive edge and, consequently a huge part of the network does over other modes of transport, railway volumes not meet the standards required to offer high qua- in Africa are still lagging behind those found on lity services. networks elsewhere in the world. Freight traffic in Africa accounts for only 7% of the global total, and The alarming state of the network can in part be for passenger traffic this share falls to 2%. explained by the lack of revenue in the face of low This situation is testimony to the difficulties faced traffic density and the struggle to adequately fund by rail in winning its share of the transport mar- operations and proper maintenance. This is true ket and in turn in acting as an engine for develop- both for state-run networks and those running un- ment. Surveys of the situation all point to the fact der concession agreements, and is compounded that existing infrastructure and transport services by the unfair advantages given to other modes of still have a long way to go before reaching what is land transport. The road sector today accounts for required for making socioeconomic development 80-90% of total traffic volume inA frica, and re- and continental integration a reality. Further exa- ceives state aid for maintenance through road or mination shows that aside from a lack of infrastruc- investment funds, which have been established in A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

most African countries. The direct result is the im- war and social unrest. The clearest example of the mediate distortion of a market in which players are problems which exist in Sub-Saharan Africa is the 7 not bound by the same obligations and, more im- heavy war damage sustained by railway infrastruc- portantly, not all players are held accountable for ture in Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Mozambique. their share of external costs. In addition, transport Thousands of kilometres of rail are today unusable costs are higher than in other developing regions and need to be completely rebuilt. of the world. From an institutional point of view, existing conces- sions are thwarted in their purpose due to the poor EXTERNAL CONSTRAINTS legal and institutional framework and lack of clear Aside from the infrastructure and financial definition of roles and responsibilities of contrac- constraints described above, there are also exter- tual parties, which will be developed later on in this nal hindrances (which affect all transport), which report. act as a heavy burden on railways in relation to the This comes on top of a weak system for trade facilita- African transport market, and which hinder them tion and poor coordination of border crossings, from helping improve trade and exchange between which become major obstacles to transport in ge- countries. neral and by extension to the railways specifically. There are tariff issues between countries on a political and administrative level, as well as border POOR COMPETITIVENESS crossing obstacles compounded by red tape, civil One example can be used to illustrate the pro- blem described above: the North-South Corridor A few telling figures: between the Democratic Republic of Congo and 3 C ost of freight transport is over 30% more Tanzania to South Africa, where transit by rail from than what is earned in export revenue for the DRC to Durban takes 38 days (9 days of travel landlocked regions; and 29 days for connections and border crossings), 3 T he average cost of intra-African trade is whereas for a heavy goods vehicle, the average higher than in other regions: +65 % com- time needed for the same journey is eight days pared with Latin America; +95 % compared (of which four are spent crossing borders). Ano- with East and South Asia. ther non-negligible issue is the fragmentation of BGRACK OUND

national jurisdictions, leading to market distortion Unviable operations mean that the associated in- and cancelling any economies of scale. The lack of frastructure, when compared on a global scale, is trust between countries has all but killed any eco- usually judged to be among the world’s worst. nomic cooperation. External constraints render the Logistics performance indicators illustrate the point African transport system, and railways in particular, clearly (2013-2014 report): Africa scored an ave- inefficient.T his contributes to spiralling costs, es- rage of 3.28 out of 7, with Morocco coming top in pecially for landlocked countries, and undermines North Africa (2.86) and Namibia (3.7) in the south competitiveness, if not a state’s entire development of the continent. model. A study of the current state of the African networks leads to the conclusion that apart from a Railway infrastructure is worst in West Africa, where few exceptions (such as South and North Africa), the highest score was 1.84 out of 7. This highlights where actions have been implemented to moder- the vast task ahead and the level of effort on diffe- nise the system and upgrade production methods, rent levels (technical, economical, financial and the majority of African railways still face a number managerial) which needs to be deployed in order of barriers. to boost the performance of these networks and motivate improvement. Based on this multi-factor analysis of the situation and taking into account performance and competi- Needless to say, this desperate situation means tiveness indicators, three types of situation can be that a vast majority of African countries lack the identified: basic logistics backbone to fuel regional and conti- j VIABLE networks, which meet customer and bu- nental integration effectively. siness needs and are investing in further deve- There are multiple factors contributing to this state lopment of their network; of affairs: poor connectivity between railways and 8 ports, absence of institutional and operational j DETERMINED networks, which are in the process links, customs barriers and transhipment problems, of upgrading their network from a technical, bu- safety hazards, lack of reliable production tools siness, commercial and financial point of view, and equipment, etc. with state support; For all the above reasons, railways in Africa, apart j VULNERABLE networks, which are facing diffi- from a few exceptions, are struggling to take up and culty at the moment and urgently need to launch fulfil the role they should and could be playing in restructuring and reorganisation plans and im- social and economic development. Most networks plement measures to catch up the lag which has have been mired in a critical situation since the grown over time by upgrading production facili- 80’s: declining traffic volume and diminishing reve- ties at least, in order to allow the railway itself to nue, narrow technical mindsets, poor service, lack survive. of maintenance, overstaffing, etc. A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

MEGA-TRENDS

Change in any society is generally slow and INNOVATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGY regular. Socioeconomic structures also tend Change in contemporary society is characterised to naturally develop a form of inertia which by the high value placed on speed and mobility as helps to re-establish balance. Consequently, well as sea changes in production methods. The- examining the future becomes more realistic refore, whilst remaining sustainable, step changes when looking at mega-trends. in technology and innovation in the various modes Transport is an integral part of a socioeco- of transport are an unavoidable necessity. One of nomic system and consequently, the way it the challenges faced by society is in fact to nur- develops is intrinsically linked to the system’s ture smart, green, integrated transport. Innovation overarching trends. The development of this is important for economic competitiveness, and mode of transport itself is affected by other better productivity. It is essential for meeting the mega-trends, both on demand-side and challenges brought about by transport, such as supply-side. Supply and demand are both ageing infrastructure, congestion, unstable energy subject to long-term inversion, due to various prices, environmental concerns, the impact of cli- factors, disruptions either unplanned or deli- mate change and population growth. berate such as public policy, major events, or

even relative prices, etc. A number of studies GLOBALISATION aimed at exploring possible future scenarios Globalisation of economies around the world in in the sector have uncovered a number of the period 2020-2040 will lead to many other mega-trends which will be key to its future. far-reaching influences which will completely These are population growth, globalisation, reshape structures and systems. Choices will be- sustainable development and technology and regional integration. come increasingly difficult when having to choose between growth, jobs or the environment. BGRACK OUND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Targeted interviews also contributed to this work, T he sustainability of transport in Africa and which focused on the following areas: railways in particular fits perfectly into the social j African Union vision for general infrastructure master plan for which people in Africa are striving, development with particular focus on transport. and which will be achievable through national level j U IC strategic direction for railway development strategies and policies. on a global and regional level; Sustainable development is also about internali- j The potential and capacity available for imple- sing the social and environmental costs of the pro- menting actions resulting from the aforemen- duction of goods and services, including transport. tioned study, on the basis of defined thresholds This fosters the emergence of energy-efficient and and objectives; non-polluting transport modes which emit less j A new strategy was then drafted to add to the green house gases (GHGs). According to Marc major work already carried out as part of the Wiel, “although technology allows us, we hope, to Africa Infrastructure and Development Master cut emissions by half, we still need to develop the Plan (AIDMP), which itself aims to interconnect, technology which will allow us to halve the remai- integrate and transform Africa. ning amount again”. A comparative analysis of countries in Africa illus- In addition to the above factors, other elements trates that efficient and effective sustainable trans- have also been taken into account, including the port is possible. Certain countries have made more following key areas: progress than others. This gives them a strong j The stated will of the government to increase the competitive edge to a certain extent, but they are pace of investment in transport infrastructure; still dependent on the development of similar ser- j Remarkable socioeconomic progress and posi- vices in the south of the continent. tive future outlook for the continent in the me- 10 For over half a century how, transport systems dium to long term; have been built on the principle of traction by com- These are just some of the challenges which lie bustion engine. Consequently, these systems are ahead in order to build a high-performance railway responsible for a large share of GHGs. They have system, positioned in the market through the pro- become one of the triggers of climate change and vision of services which meet customer expecta- as such are associated with growing air pollution. tions and thus fostering a more accessible mass transit system. Combating global warming is primarily about reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and by extension In terms of yield on investment on these different about cutting GHGs. levels, it should be noted that railway productivity has undergone vast improvement, as has the sec- BUILDING A 2040 RAIL VISION tor’s ability to improve mobility and overall perfor- These unprecedented upheavals generate mance and efficiency of services. the need to find means not only to ensure railways can endure into the future but also In addition, realisation of this vision will serve as make them central to the transport chain. means to nurture staff loyalty and thus draw more A strategy for the future should at least be benefit out of each mode and optimise the bu- able to: siness productivity, boosting the competitiveness j Reinforce the complementary nature of African countries and thereby their position on of different modes; the world stage. j Think and behave in a sustainable way; j Meet the increasing need for mobility; It is against such a backdrop that the UIC Africa j Harness the potential of new technology; Region launched a series of workshops (Technical j Be supported by competent human Committee), comprising railway experts represen- resources; ting the various regions in Africa, with a view to j Draw positive advantage from defining a medium-term participatory framework standardisation; for the development of the continent’s railways. A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

j Capitalising on conclusions drawing from recent into five interdependent, complementary and rele- long-range forecast studies carried out (such as vant strategic domains. These five domains in turn AIDMP); have been broken down into 15 measures. j The central and inevitable issue of meeting UIC railway operating standards; In order to make this vision a reality, each of j Integration, in this process, of a series of other these measures has been attached to a series planned or ongoing projects and programmes of targeted priority actions for revitalising rail with a view to obtaining an accurate snap shot in Africa. This action plan contains a total of of how the railway system in Africa is already de- 65 tasks which will be progressively unrolled. veloping. A number of key performance indicators have The above form the founding principles for been adopted in order to measure progress by the the new development strategy compiled by Technical Committee, with SMART objectives to UIC Africa for transport on the continent. be reached at key milestones along the way (2015, Entitled “A new lease of life for African rail: 2020, 2025 and 2040). destination 2040”, this strategy is both am- Given the different levels of railway development, bitious and feasible. It rests on three pillars, viability, and economic, commercial, financial, ma- which form the bedrock of values shared by nagerial and technical performance across the the UIC community of railways around the continent (i.e. dividing the networks into three world: Unity, Solidarity and Universality. groups), it was decided that incremental objectives should be set each with specific targets to be met: The aim of this strategy is to form a suitable com- j The target for “vulnerable” railways is to achieve plement and add value where possible, to the de- the minimum; cisions already adopted by the African Union, and j The maximum constitutes the target for “Deter- 11 the declarations and pledges made by Ministers mined” and “Viable” networks; for Transport during the last two African transport conferences. The purpose is to strive for a mode Schematically speaking, this strategy translates into of transport including all different modes that will a waterfall-pyramid structure with results-based serve as a tool for regional integration, in a region objectives: the domains and measures relate to the which is still cruelly lacking in these. strategic layer in the plan, whereas the tasks are operational. In order to ensure that this vision can become an The components making up this structure will be operational reality by 2040, it has been organised elucidated in detail in the next chapter. STRATEGY 5 DOMAINS

3 DOMAIN 1: MODERNISATION, DEVELOPMENT AND INTERCONNECTIVITY OF RAILWAYS IN AFRICA

3 DOMAIN 2: IMPROVING THE PRODUCT OFFERING F OR PAssenGERS AND BUSINESSES

3 DOMAIN 3: GOOD GOVERNANCE

3 DOMAIN 4: DEVELOPING SEAMLESS MULTIMODALITY

3 DOMAIN 5: PROMOTE REGIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE AND CONFIRM AFRICA’S PLACE ONTHE WORLD STAGE A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

DOMAIN 1 MODERNISATION, DEVELOPMENT AND INTERCONNECTIVITY OF RAILWAYS IN AFRICA

Upgrading production methods and MAINTENANCE developing national networks is a prerequisite Lack of funds has prevented many railway compa- for a sustainable system, in order to make nies in Africa from renovating and renewing their the most of ongoing technological progress infrastructure following a rational plan which fully and ensure that the railway can become the takes into consideration traffic forecasts as well as tool for urgently-needed regional integration. the seriousness of infrastructure degradation. Adapting the network in this way relies on ambitious investment plans centred on track and component renovations, as well as injected 1j MEASURE 21 into newer rolling stock and more modern DEVELOPING NATIONAL NETWORKS safety systems. INCREASING THE CAPACITY 13 OF EXISTING LINES Surveys reveal a worrying delay in infrastructure renewal and maintenance on the majority of sub- Apart from the abovementioned need to renovate Saharan networks. For this reason, the strategy has rolling stock, it is also crucial to design realistic and formulated two key principles which should form optimised maintenance programmes, taking the the basis for fixed installation maintenance policies, state of components into account. in order to guarantee train operation in the safest possible conditions: A large part of the railway network in Africa is sin j 1 – Gradually adapt the network so that it can gle track with different types of track gauge, com- meet current real growing demand for heavier pounded by weak technical characteristics, which loads, higher speeds and larger traffic volume; make it impossible for the system to cope with de- j 2 – Optimise track maintenance costs through mand and allow the smooth operation of trains and mechanisation and deployment of new techno- execution of maintenance work. logy and suitable tried-and-tested management methods. A number of paths exist to overcome these techni- Aside from the features which make one network cal shortfalls, which railways in Africa can develop different from another, there are recognised com- depending on their business and financial situation. plementary - if not indispensible - solutions which These options can be compared using different cri- can be used in compliance with UIC-recommended teria, enabling properly-informed decisions. standards. Some of these options include: RENEWING ROLLING STOCK j Doubling tracks on congested sections and those T raffic is set to increase and the current rolling with the highest development potential; stock fleet on most sub-Saharan networks is very j Renewal, repair and correction of the track layout old. As a result, steps need to be taken to renew to improve the technical characteristics of cer- rolling stock, depending on financial capacity and tain routes; other available opportunities. j Electrification of lines with a view to optimising STRATEGy – 5 domains

energy, which is a scarce resource, and to be in line TAKING MINING PROJECTS with international calls for protecting the envi- INTO ACCOUNT ronment; Africa is a rich continent for minerals and is home j P ossible opening of new stations to grow the nu- to 30% of this resource in the world. This core sec- mber of train paths and improve transport plans. tor has undergone continuous growth and is a major source of income for the relevant countries, and EXTENSION OF AFRICAN NETWORKS has placed Africa in a central macroeconomic po- The African railway network today is not very de- sition, to the extent that some countries see Africa veloped. It has less than 90 000 km, or less than as being the engine for economic growth for the 5% of the world network, and has very low density medium to long term. of 3 km for every 1 000 km2 compared, for exa- Given forecast demand, the mining industry is set mple, with 400 km/1000 km2 in Europe. to grow, in particular in the BRICS countries (Brazil, All studies conducted to date confirm that Russia, India, China and South Africa). However, it is important to be realistic about these prospects, Africa has made promising economic progress over since it is likely that large mining corporations will the past decade, although much effort still remains be the motor to revolutionising the railways in Afri- to be deployed in order to develop the railways ca, given their capacity and ready funds to make and win some competitive economic advantage. their plans a reality.

14 DOMAIN 2 IMPROVING THE PRODUCT OFFERING FOR PASSENGERS AND BUSINESSES

The need for mobility is constantly rising, economies are expanding and passenger needs and expectations are shifting. These facts mean that African countries must continue to invest money and effort to confirm their position as the most reliable transport mode for customers and the public at large. Achieving this goal can be approached in various ways, such as improving services, including price adaptation and greater range of products, and better communications.

1j MEASURE 11 routes, will form part of larger investment projects BETTER-QUALITY SERVICE allowing African networks to adapt their national transport plans and open up train paths along the REDUCING JOURNEY TIMES most needed routes, as well as implement a cor- It is important in this chapter to take into account respondingly efficient maintenance plan. the fact that different parts of the network bring up different challenges, both in terms of marke- IMPROVING COMFORT ting and operations. As such, African railways will A study of networks in Africa today has revealed opt for more train services along busy routes and that, with a few exceptions, too little attention is develop mass transportation with coordinated paid to one of the most decisive factors in service timetabling to facilitate intermodal transfers and quality, which is comfort, not only on board trains rolling stock turnaround times. but also in stations. All too often, it has been found that comfort is Planning schemes, network modernisation and managed from a purely functional point of view. increasing capacity, in particular on the busiest There is therefore a clear need for service innova- A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

tion and better safety. Combining efforts on these offering, to match their target audiences (young two areas alone should significantly improve cus- people, adults, senior citizens, etc.) while allowing tomer satisfaction and spell a turnaround in ma- for the purchasing power of consumers so that nagement methods which will lift the railways they can maintain a healthy level of competition. towards becoming a genuinely commercial industry. An incremental objective was designed inclu- DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS ding step by step targets over the years. The pre- WITH OPERATORS sent target is to reach an overall satisfaction level In the same way as with passenger transport, frei- of at least 50% on vulnerable networks and 70 % ght also needs a clear path for sustainable deve- on the others. lopment for the future and to become more pro- fitable. Based on the actions mentioned above SIMPLIFYING TECHNICAL aimed at the mining sector in various African coun- AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES tries, railways need to act pre-emptively and pro- Interviews were conducted with railway managers mote their services, underscoring the advantages in order to produce a detailed snapshot of the si- to be gained from transport by rail, such as bulk tuation. It was discovered that most railways re- carriage of goods and environmental protection. port major management shortcomings. This can be identified in the form of bureaucratic procedures and lack of thoroughness in updating and 1j MEASURE 31 applying technical procedures. BETTER COMMUNICATION TOOLS As such, it is critical to overhaul these processes, while drawing on the good practices and techni- IMPLEMENTATION cal work conducted systematically by UIC. OF MEASUREMENT TOOLS T he direct result of the purely functional manage 15 REGULARITY AND PUNCTUALITY ment approach of sub-Saharan railways mentio OF TRAINS ned above is the absence of concerted commer- T rain technology has reached the point where cial and marketing policies, often considered of railways can now be in direct competition with the less importance. airlines. However, surveys have shown that regularity and punctuality are not seen in the same way Changing the culture in such companies, and fos- in the African railways. These two factors do not tering a more commercial approach where the necessarily sit side by side with other differentia- customer is placed at the centre of management ting factors used to sharpen the competitive edge decisions, is only possible if appropriate tools of railways against other modes. are implemented to measure customer satisfaction. Grasping the real needs and expectations of customers and businesses is pivotal for deci- j MEASURE 21 sion-making and identifying ways to improve the ADAPT PRICES AND DIVERSIFY product line-up. PRODUCT OFFERING Tools for measuring quality can be implemented PRODUCT AND PRICE DIVERSIFICATION with the help of experts, to gauge different servi Railway undertakings today still have a lot of po- ce performance indicators: information about the tential to harness through better pricing policies. journey, services onboard trains and in stations, The systems used today are old and do not tap into management of disrupted situations, pricing, po- the possibilities offered through NICT (New Infor- sitioning, bearing in mind that each railway will mation and Communications Technology). have its own objectives and evaluation methods to measure service quality. Despite this, there is Consequently, one of the most obvious paths to a generally-similar set of approaches which can emerging as a business for Vulnerable and Deter- be examined by the experts working on this issue: mined Transport plans, is to generate more revenue defining the target audience, determination of the from diversification of ticket pricing and product measurement tool (questionnaire, gauge, mystery STRATEGy – 5 domains

customer, surveys, etc.), selection of sampling And yet today, there is a clear lack of communica- method and periods for data collection. tions within African railway companies, compared to other service-industry companies or foreign rail DIVERSIFICATION OF COMMUNICATION networks. CHANNELS AND MEDIA Communications today are undisputably the core Steps therefore need to be taken to get closer to variable in the marketing mix (4 ‘P’s principle: Pro- customers, understand their needs and satisfy their duct, Place, Price, Promotion). expectations.

DOMAIN 3 GOOD GOVERNANCE

Good governance in today’s economic climate should be placed firmly at the centre of manage- is synonymous with survival. Human capital ment decision-making, in order to enhance profes- is increasingly central to success, as are key sionalism and succeed in introducing meaningful partnerships to achieve efficiency and effective- change. ness. This ‘Domain’ lists a number of pointers to achieve better governance. Part of this requires rethinking and modernising HR The purpose of this is to make African railways policies to make them more effective and groun- 16 more competitive and enable them to become ded in clear distribution of roles and responsibili- key players in the economic development of ties in the company structure; this presupposes the continent. the need to introduce Objective Oriented Manage- ment and a range of effective steering tools. j MEASURE 11 CAPITALISING ON HUMAN BETTER WORKING AND WORKER RESOURCES AND RAILWAY RELATED CONDITIONS EXPERTISE Part and parcel of any move to enhance governance, improve training and modernise human MULTI-YEAR TRAINING PLANS resources management methods are the policies A chieving optimal operational performance, co- to be implemented to encourage staff loyalty and ping with technological change and preventing worker motivation. skills erosion are all challenges which need to be met by railways by preparing the next general of BETTER IN-HOUSE COMMUNICATION railway workers through coordinated and priority Internal communications are the interface between training programmes. marketing and management, and as such pose a Rapidly-changing railway technology means that number of challenges on both a technical and or- the railways need to adapt their strategy for de- ganisational level, especially for African railways, veloping knowhow and human factor expertise, in which have suffered the result of poor dialogue order to adjust what have become outdated me- between and with employees. thods. The future of railways in a competitive environment hinges on the skills of managers and front PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS line staff. WITH SOCIAL PARTNERS T oday marks a historical turning point for most MODERNISING HUMAN RESOURCE railways in Africa, as major restructuring, rebuilding MANAGEMENT METHODS and development plans are unveiled. The success As African railways undergo unprecedented res- of these projects depends on the transparency and tructuring and reorganisation, human resources commitment of all parties concerned. A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

j MEASURE 21 successfully. Such schemes should not be limited CLARIFICATION OF STATE-COMPANY to the PPPs mentioned earlier. RELATIONS Of course, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, but railways should leave no stone unturned, each INTRODUCING CONTRACT BASED company seeking the solutions which fit its context, PROGRAMMES economic and political situation. Studies have shown that while some African For example, it is important to build partnerships railways have the benefit of new framework agree- and stay in touch with funding bodies so that the ments with their public authorities and govern- projects researched and submitted are attractive ment, the majority still face a lack of available re- and obtain the necessary financial support.T rust sources needed for restructuring and rebuilding is the major form of capital in such relations. Let their networks. Lessons drawn from this reality us note that the African Devleopment Bank (ADB) have proved useful, and the solution found has has played a key role in many projects touching on come in the form of medium-term contract-based economic development and African regional deve- programmes signed with the state. lopment, investing approximately 6 billion dollars every year in a host of ventures. SPECIAL PUBLIC SERVICE AGREEMENTS T he profitability of a railway network is crucial to j MEASURE 41 be able to adopt private railway company mana- PROMOTE INTER-ORGANISATIONAL gement methods. Railways are mass-transit sys- AND INTER-NETWORK COOPERATION tem which can serve as a tool for the state to wield to improve public transport services. Nonetheless, GIVING NEW MOMENTUM TO profitability must underpin any endeavour under- THE ROLE PLAYED BY UIC AFRICA 17 taken. T he reorganisation of UIC in 2009 placed heavier importance on the roles played by each of its six regions. The purpose of this shift was to find a way j MEASURE 31 to better meet the specific needs of members in DIVERSIFYING AND MOBILISING those regions. FINANCIAL RESOURCES Since its establishment, UIC Africa has invested re- DEVELOPING PUBLIC-PRIVATE lentless effort into a broad range of activities. Aside PARTNERSHIPS from organisational change, these programmes T he international financial crisis which has charac- include: terised the past few years and created growing j Targeted topic scientific seminars and confe- tensions poses a dilemma for African railways: rences; j On the one hand railways need massive capital j Information sessions tailored to an African injections to make up for the years of under-in- railway audience; vestment in maintaining and developing basic j Reinforcement of bilateral cooperation, through infrastructure; technical visits and/or exchanges between ma- j On the other hand, this comes at a time when nagers and key players from African networks; funds are difficult to raise, especially for capital- j Participation in international events and coordi- intensive investments such as railway projects. nation with bodies involved in developing Africa. Public-private partnerships are therefore one possible exit from this otherwise inextricable situation. Based on this track record, UIC Africa is now increasing the pace of its work in order to implement CREATING SYNERGY WITH FUNDING the road map outlined in “A new lease of life for BODIES African rail – Destination 2040”. Innovation, mo- In the same vein, railways are being asked to re- bilisation and integration will be the driving force double their efforts to identify funding schemes behind a series of actions including: which will allow investment projects to go ahead j Promoting railway transport on a continental STRATEGy – 5 domains

scale, helping members to meet the future chal j Management training; lenges of sustainable development and mobility; j Management and technical assistance; j Pr omoting railway interoperability and standards; j Project preparation; j Developing and facilitating regional, continental j Provision of experts; or bilateral cooperation in order to foster good j Conducting studies. practice (benchmarking); j Offering technical support to members as they There are various advantages in opting for such work on various projects, develop new markets services: fostering positive relationships between and new business ventures; African railways, harnessing synergy between j Recommend methods for enhancing techni- neighbouring networks and similar cultures, a cal and environmental performance, in order to common railway development history (to a cer- sharpen competitiveness and lower costs. tain degree), and having a majority of railways in Africa as members of UIC Africa. As such, UIC Africa will play the role of: j SUPPLIER of operational and technical expert PROMOTE THE CREATION knowhow, as well as guidance on regulations, OF AN AFRICAN RAILWAY INSTITUTE standards and good practice recommended by S taff training is of primary importance to achieve UIC; the desired capitalisation of existing railway exper- j F ACILITATOR through innovation and exchange: tise and human resource potential, especially in the new concepts and ideas to defend the common face of the scale of the challenge spanning all areas interests of members, with support policies to of railway expertise and swollen by years of unde- underpin essential infrastructure work; rinvestment. j COORDINATOR for rail forums, platforms, semi- 18 nars, conferences and symposia in Africa; j DEVELOPER of interoperable specifications and j MEASURE 51 interfaces along continental rail corridors. ENHANCING MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVING FINANCIAL FOSTERING EXCHANGE PERFORMANCE FOR FEEDBACK ON EXPERIENCE As mentioned above, there have been far-rea- STREAMLINING ching changes in the railway sector over the past Technical, business and financial performance go ten years, leading to a general move to upgrade hand in hand with a proper strategy to allow sus- and rebuild many railway networks. This work tained growth in traffic and better railway compe- has, amongst other things, created a need for titiveness. specialised railway knowledge. Several European This can be achieved through streamlining of costs, networks have adapted their own organisations making it possible to maintain and even improve to be in a position where their expertise and expe- operations while meeting required safety stan- rience gathered over many years of practice can be dards. offered to meet the growing demand for support. BETTER PROCUREMENT It is crucial for vulnerable railways in Africa to ca- Nurturing a network of reliable suppliers is part of pitalise on this experience and knowhow by esta- keeping ahead of the competition. Good supplier blishing links with other UIC Africa members who relations are evidence of corporate responsibility, have themselves acquired a recognised level of ex- good cost management and commitment to offe- pertise: this will allow the networks to benefit from ring high-quality services to customers, because all the lessons learnt elsewhere and avoid repeating of these components depend on third- party per- unnecessary mistakes, thereby optimising any in- formance and good “procurement” represents a vestment in intellectual or technical services. large part of a major investment package. Buying should become a more central ingredient Expert advice and services can be provided to in any successful business plan. Keeping good sup- cover many areas including: pliers motivated is a way to ensure that they will A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

do their best to remain at the cutting edge of solu- exist to make access to a healthy environment an tions and offer best value for money. inalienable right. It is in this climate that rail today is going through Against this background there is a pressing need a revival and can realise the potential of its intrinsic to forge partnership relationships with suppliers, qualities as the most energy-efficient and environ- grounded in mutual trust and respect, in line with mentally-friendly mode of transport. contractual obligations. Above and beyond this, companies need to equip their buyers with the These strengths are in reality the fruit of railway skills and tools required to manage supplier rela- technology which has inbuilt advantages as it has tions in the best possible conditions. evolved over time with particular consideration for various aspects of the environment: safety, space oc- TAKING THE ENVIRONMENT cupancy, energy consumption, air pollution, noise, INTO ACCOUNT impact of infrastructure on fauna and flora and on Environmental protection occupies a central place the landscape, geared for mass transit of dange- in future development strategies. Initiatives already rous goods in the safest possible conditions…

DOMAIN 4 DEVELOPING SEAMLESS MULTIMODALITY

T he railways have changed irreversibly, and surviving in today’s market depends on long-term innovative and sustainable solutions as well as harnessing the potential of a flourishing goods 19 distribution industry. Faced with this reality, railways in Africa have no other choice than to adapt their production lines. Adaptation means meeting business demands and winning market share with a wider choice of integrated door-to-door logistic services.

j MEASURE 11 production and assembly units to choose from INTEGRATED LOGISTICS and channels to sell into, was one of the main triggers which has propelled freight transport Freight and logistics today exist in a new global growth at a speed which has outstripped eco- order, which has commanded a complete organi- nomic growth. sational overhaul of the industry characterised by: Another consequence of change has been pro- j Rapidly bringing down barriers and obstacles duction off shoring, to the detriment of industria- to international trade (customs, formalities, lin- lised countries. The third consequence has been guistic barriers, etc.); externalisation of logistics. Managing a “supply j A spectacular harmonisation of markets, which chain” across increasingly vast geographical areas for many industries means that consumer de- and in some cases spanning several continents is mand has all but become uniform across the becoming more and more difficult for single sup- world; pliers to manage. As such, demand has risen for j A turnaround in mindsets, whereby people now companies specialising in this type of work and see the world as a small place, under the influen logistics. ce of easy passenger travel and international flows of goods, together with remarkable pro- DEVELOPING DRY PORTS gress in communications. Just-in-time management of inventory is beco- In transport and logistics, there are three major ming more common and therefore railway com- ramifications to these changes: panies in Africa have no other solution but to in- j A permanent extension to market boundaries troduce innovative solutions offering added value giving businesses a wider choice of suppliers, above and beyond basic transport services. STRATEGy – 5 domains

These services, as a minimum, will include for example handling and storage of loaded contai- ners, management and maintenance of container fleets, collection and distribution of goods, pac- kaging, labelling, sorting and quality checking as well as processing customs documents.

j MEASURE 21 INTRODUCE INTEGRATED TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

OFFER COMPLEMENTARY RAIL-ROAD The majority of railway companies are aware of AND RAIL-SEA TRANSPORT SERVICES the stakes at play in this area and have already Development of combined transport is still too adapted their development strategies accordin slow on the African continent, although logistics gly. France, Germany, Spain and the UK for exa- is gathering pace in performance and uses this mple, have restructured their freight and logistics form of transport. arms to create specialised integrated businesses. Nevertheless, it should be emphasised that grea- There is a pressing need therefore for railways in ter attention to the environment is causing atti- Africa, especially with the intensification of new tudes to change in favour of more energy-effi- mining projects, to maximise this opportunity cient modes of transport, better organisation and and stay ahead of coming demand. Seizing this customer profitability.T hese changes all serve to chance involves incorporating logistics services underscore the important role to be played by 20 through the construction of dry ports, thereby combined transport in the development of cohe- being ready to respond to changing business and rent and integrated transport systems. customer requirements.

DEVELOPING INDUSTRIAL j MEASURE 31 LOGISTICS ZONES ESTABLISHING A REGULATORY Given the forecast development strategy required FRAMEWORK to build competitive logistics, railway companies in Africa will have to introduce integrated pro- SET UP REGULATORY BODIES ducts offering rail-road and other solutions in ad- Privatisation of the railways in Africa is spreading dition to traditional carriage by rail products. fast. Just like other utilities which have taken this This means looking at the possibilities of building path, the railways will have to equip themselves a network of multimodal platforms, hinging on with an independent regulator which can oversee dry ports and adjacent Industrial Logistics zones, the liberalisation process. and acting as major distribution and consumer hubs. The real estate potential residing in land be- HARMONISE PRACTICES longing to the railways can be used as leverage AND PROCEDURES to forge cooperation and partnerships with other Changes in the transport system and increasing players along the logistics chain. customer expectations are unfolding in a world characterised by the development of intermodal PARTNERSHIPS ALONG transport (ports, maritime transport, carriage by THE TRANSPORT CHAIN land, air or rail, ancillary businesses, etc.), all fo- Building logistics hubs offering business a range cused on cost control and seeking the best qua- of integrated solutions will pave the way towards lity and value for money while keeping control offering a wider range of added value services. over delivery and journey times. A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

DOMAIN 5 PROMOTE REGIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE AND CONFIRM AFRICA’S POSITION ON THE WORLD STAGE

T omorrow’s world, in the eyes of not just many economists but also politicians and even fund providers, lies in Africa. As such it is crucial to give railways a leading role in harnessing this future potential. Taking up this role will depend essentially on the forging of intra-network links, technical and technological standardisation, and opening the way for railways to make their contribution to rebalancing trade relations with the rest of the world, as well as promoting and facilitating mobility for goods and people.

j MEASURE 11 BUILD INTERCONNECTIONS

Regional integration is one of the key aspirations for economic development in African countries which want to see their economies turned around through cross-regional cooperation. Regional inte gration is the lever which will allow countries to break free of the bonds of colonial-era dependen- 21 cy and foreign aid, and as such is the cornerstone of broader stable development.

DEVELOP CORRIDORS Regional integration first means geographical borders and interfaces. One of the first questions to be answered when considering the future of railways in Africa and EXPANDING THE BRANCH NETWORK their role in regional itnegration is how they will At the 33rd UAR General Assembly held in Nairobi link up with other modes of transport, namely, in December 2006, a project for the construction roads. of a hub-and-spoke rail network of 20 000 km Railway development is inextricably linked to was adopted. economic growth, use of energy resources and j The first 6500-km spoke will link Libya, Niger, increasing trade between countries. It is there- Chd, the Central African Republic, the Republic fore encouraging to see that the UAR master plan of Congo Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic (Union of African Railways) for rail links in Afri- of the Congo, Angola and Namibia. This route ca includes numerous projects currently on the will span out from North Africa and cross the drawing board or being debated within the Re- Sahara, going through central Africa towards the gional Economic Communities and with financial final destination inN amibia in southern Africa. institutions, which will contribute to regional inte- j The second leg of the network will form a 7800- gration in Africa between 2025-2035. km long horizontal lnik from Senegal (Dakar) in the West to Djibouti, passing through Mali (Ba- Building a pan-African railway network is not only mako) and Chad (N’djamena). a need, it is a political prerequisite in the struggle j The third branch will be 5600 km in length to catch up on the lag that has grown with other joining several East African states along a sinu continents and help build a fairer and more just ous route through Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, world economy. Rwanda and Burundi, connecting eventually to STRATEGy – 5 domains

the line in the DRC and central Africa with a which makes any attempt to construct an intero- possible extension towards Ethiopia and Sudan perable network very complicated. and thus meshing with spoke 2. Consequently, ambitious investment programmes will be needed to gradually replace existing tracks DEVELOPING POTENTIAL NEW LINKS and installations with components complying T he master plan approved in 1978 included 18 rou with standards recommended by UIC. tes across Africa geared to facilitate trade bet ween the countries and foster regional integration. IMPLEMENT UIC SAFETY STANDARDS Aside from reinforcing the corridors listed above, Extensive surveys and analyses conducted in the the specificity of these routes lies partly in the course of this study have led to the conclusion following: that for safety, investments must be made on se- j Reinforcement of connections between coun- veral complementary levels. In addition, for the tries in the west of the continent; majority of railways there is still in-depth work to j Ensure a north/west Africa link via two main be completed to fine-tune safety management routes: the first connecting states along theA t- systems. lantic coast and the second crossing the Sahara. j Create a select group of priority rail links in central and southern Africa, with a view to offering j MEASURE 31 a path to the ocean for landlocked states, so CONTRIBUTE TO THE REBALANCING that they can grasp the full potential of their rich OF TRADE WITHTHE REST OF THE natural resources. WORLD

INCORPORATING NICT 22 j MEASURE 21 INTO THE PRODUCT OFFERING TECHNICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL New Information and Communications Techno- STANDARDISATION logies (NICT) have revolutionised management systems in advanced railway networks. They have STANDARDISE TRACKS played a key role n facilitating decision-making S tatistics today show that the African railway and improving the performance and efficiency of network is made up of different track gauges, railways. However, most African railways have not A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR AFRICAN RAIL l destination 2040

yet taken advantage of this technology, and are different modes is a prerequisite for re-balancing far from doing so. modal share and meeting growing demand in the best possible conditions. INTRODUCE COMPETITIVE, INNOVATIVE 23 PRODUCTS & SERVICES Competition is fierce for land transport, and for j MEASURE 41 the moment railways are struggling to secure PROMOTE AND FACILITATE THE a better share of this sector in the face of the MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND PEOPLE overwhelming predominance of road transport. It is important to note at this juncture how impor- HARMONISE PROCEDURES tant it is to offer businesses services which will A battery of policies and measures to facilitate, help them optimise their production chains, and simplify and harmonise procedures has been so rail has to find its place in these local and re- launched. Nonetheless, noticeable delays are still gional distribution channels. Of course, optimising appearing in this area of work, which is burdening service frequency and unrolling a new timetable railways with additional costs, making them more will require in-depth market surveys carried out to expensive compared with other regions in the measure demand, continuous capacity improve- world. ment on the busiest lines, as well as effective fleet management to meet real needs. INTRODUCE AN INCENTIVISING Success will also hinge on flow management al- PRICE SYSTEM lowing better and more flexible access to trains T he railways in Africa have managed to overcome and stations. a vast number of persistent problems, against a The whole purpose of these efforts is to enable backdrop of several years running at a loss. customers to reap the full benefit of all these im- This has enabled the sector to reach a relatively provements, leading to considerable advantages stable level in transported volumes, despite the in terms of shorter journey and connection times current international financial and economic crisis. and better onboard services. Nevertheless, traffic growth alone will not suffice to revive the railway network or make a regional IMPROVE TRANSITION BETWEEN corridor financially and economically viable. Other RAIL-SEA-ROAD means must still be deployed in order to make this As mentioned above, complementarity between mode more competitive. 24 TANGER APPEAL 9TH UIC AFRICA REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

he members of the UIC African Regional Considering that: Assembly present in Tangier on 17 October 3 Railways constitute a strategic pillar in African T2012, starting from the premise that: development and economic integration 3 The African continent continues to record signi- 3 Rail transport has undeniable advantages which ficant development, reflected in its uninterrup- are increasingly prized by modern society and ted structural economic growth of 5% since which are vital for putting in place a transport 2000; system that is fit-for-purpose, efficient, coherent, 3 The African continent occupies a key place in integrated and varied enough to meet future the major international issues of our time. It is challenges; considered by several powers to be a source of 3 Major efforts still need to be undertaken to revi- potential growth for the future; talise railways on the African continent in order 3 Social sector levelling and consequently, mee- that they may constitute a real tool to meet the ting the Millennium Development Goals, (MDG) growing needs in the area of eco-mobility and remain a tremendous challenge; subsequently the regeneration of African coun- 3 Mobility needs for both people and goods are tries; increasingly important when combined with a 3 Rail transport has all the qualities needed to growing population which is set to double to play a significant and effective role in develo- two billion by 2050; ping trade between African countries. 3 Infrastructure of all types represents a major tool in the socio-economic development of the Convinced that: continent. 3 For most rail networks, the current situation 25 remains vulnerable and requires major restruc- 3 Complementarity between different modes be- turing programmes and improvements; come an effective reality through better coor- 3 The UIC African Region remains the most ap- dination between the various stakeholders and propriate body to help African networks bene- a better-designed transport system with regard fit from experience in harmonising the railway to the roles of the various links in the chain; system; 3 Rail transport play a greater role in promoting 3 Sharing experience between networks and de- regional integration and the position of the Afri- veloping cooperation at regional level remains can continent on the world stage. the best approach to derive maximum benefit from good practice and to promote rail trans- Call for: port across the continent. 3 Railway companies to sign up to and include their development efforts between now and 2025 Desiring that: in the vision set out by the UIC Africa Region; 3 Africa have a rail transport system that is reliable, 3 Railway companies to become more involved in viable, effective and affordable, capable of pro- the implementation of this new strategy to en- moting socio-economic development across its sure rail transport plays a part in the continent’s countries; economic development; 3 Africa modernise, develop and interconnect the 3 Regional economic communities to play a major African rail networks; role in the deployment of the agreed improve- 3 Railway companies confirm that their desire to ment measures; modernise needs to go hand in hand with trai- 3 Transport regulators, funding bodies and all ning to help younger generations access the va- stakeholders to support the “AFRICA RAIL 2025” rious professions in the railways; rail development project, which has beneficial 3 Railway companies further improve their range consequences for our continent in a number of of services for users and businesses, whilst areas. managing the system more professionally and efficiently; Tangier, 17 October 2012 26

Published by: UIC Communications Department; Director of Publication: Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, UIC Director General UIC Africa coordinator: Jerzy Wisniewski Prepared by: Said Chandid - ONCF - Head of Cabinet of the Director General, Director Strategy and Communications Editor: Marie Plaud, UIC Communications Department Design: Marc Desmoulin/La Belle Equipe Photos: UIC, UIC members Printer: Acinnov