Botswana, Zimbabwe agree to improve railway delivery efficiency

GABORONE, Dec. 19 — The Botswana Railways (BR) and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) on Monday signed an agreement to help improve the two rail administrators’ service delivery efficiency.
Signed in Francistown, Botswana’s second largest city, the Through Working Agreement will now see rail locomotives from both administrators allowed to cross borders and deliver goods either in Francistown or Bulawayo, the second largest city of Zimbabwe.
Chelesile Malele, the acting BR Chief Executive Officer, told the signing ceremony that the the new agreement paves the way for a seamless borderless operation where consignments will be moved from source to destination using one set of rolling stock to a certain point, and then another party takes over to complete the journey, she said.
Since 1987, the two rail administrators have consistently worked together on bulk goods and passenger train services.
“We have signed one of the most crucial agreements,” which is in line with Zimbabwe’s mantra of regional integration and cooperation, said Respina Zinyanduko, the Chief Executive Officer of NRZ. (Xinhua)