Assistant Minister says three strategic rail projects will unlock regional trade, strengthen supply chains and cement Botswana’s role as a continental logistics hub

Staff writer

GABORONE – Botswana is accelerating the development of three major railway corridors aimed at deepening regional integration, expanding access to international markets and positioning the country as a strategic logistics gateway for Southern Africa.

Speaking at the Botswana Mining Show 2026, Assistant Minister of Transport Infrastructure Letlhogonolo Barongwang said transport infrastructure has become a critical tool for advancing regional economic growth, trade connectivity and citizen empowerment across the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Delivering an address themed “Connecting Communities to Opportunity: The Role of Transport Infrastructure in Unlocking Mining-Driven Development, Citizen Empowerment and Regional Economic Growth,” Barongwang said Botswana’s future prosperity depends on transforming its geographic position into a regional transit and trade hub linking mining production centres to global markets.

“Minerals may originate at the mining phases, but the true economic value is forged at the resilient corridors that connect the mines to the market, that connect to local suppliers, that connect to the citizens, and as well to the region,” he said.

At the centre of this vision are three railway projects designed to strengthen regional transport networks and diversify export routes for Botswana and its neighbours.

The flagship Trans-Kalahari Railway has been reconfigured to maximise economic benefits across the region. Instead of running directly from Morupule to the Namibian border, the line will now pass through Sese, Letlhakane and Kuke, opening access to the Kalahari Copper Belt and linking mineral-rich areas to Namibia’s Port of Walvis Bay.

Barongwang said the project’s bankable feasibility study has been completed and that the corridor will provide Botswana and the wider region with a direct Atlantic gateway for exports, strengthening trade resilience and reducing dependence on traditional routes.

The second project, the Mmamabule-Palapye Railway Link, will connect Botswana’s rail network to South Africa’s Lephalale industrial zone, opening a direct route to Richards Bay and creating alternative export channels for coal and other mineral commodities.

The link is expected to improve supply-chain flexibility while enhancing cross-border trade flows between Botswana and South Africa.

The third rail initiative, the Moses Seko Kazungula-Livingstone Link, is aimed at improving movement along the strategic North-South Corridor that connects Botswana, Zambia and South Africa.

According to Barongwang, the line will cut transit times, facilitate regional commerce and support growth in tourism and agriculture, particularly in the Chobe area, which sits at the crossroads of regional trade routes.

Beyond rail infrastructure, Botswana is positioning itself to support the region’s transition towards greener transport systems.

Barongwang pointed to the recent deployment of the country’s first electric mining haulage trucks at MMG Khoemacau as evidence of Botswana’s ambitions to become a leader in sustainable mining logistics.

“Today, we are importing refined fossil fuel to move our economy. Tomorrow, I promise you, we shall be harvesting our abundant solar energy to create clean energy that powers our trucks,” he said.

The government is also developing a national e-mobility policy and advancing the Tana electrified public transport project as part of wider efforts to modernise transport systems and reduce carbon emissions.

Barongwang stressed that regional connectivity must deliver tangible benefits to citizens and local businesses rather than simply serving as transit routes.

“A corridor that bypasses our people is a failed corridor. Every kilometre of infrastructure laid must translate into a direct job and a sustainable enterprise for Batswana,” he said.

He noted that Botswana’s prosperity is closely tied to the economic success of the wider SADC region, arguing that transport investments should be viewed through a regional development lens.

The planned corridors align with both the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seek to dismantle trade barriers and improve the movement of goods across Africa.

To support implementation, the government is pursuing legal and regulatory reforms aimed at accelerating Public-Private Partnerships and attracting infrastructure investment. Authorities are also intensifying use of the Botswana Dry Port at Walvis Bay, operated by Sea Rail Botswana, to expand trade capacity and logistics services for businesses serving regional markets.

With feasibility work largely complete, Barongwang said the focus must now shift from planning to implementation.

“The feasibility studies are complete. The political will is clear. The mandate is now to move decisively from blueprint to ground-breaking,” he said.

He added that Botswana’s infrastructure ambitions extend beyond moving commodities.

“We must build corridors that move not just minerals, but move our people from the peripheries of their localities to the centre of economic opportunity. Let us translate tarmac into an enterprise and steel into a sustainable livelihood.”