Connection of railroads begins June 2003

A project to connect West Africa’s railroads is to begin in June 2003 in line with a master plan adopted six years ago, PANA reported on Sunday. The decision was taken at a four-day meeting organised by ECOWAS, the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the Union of African Railways (UAR). Donors will be approached this month to fund the feasibility studies for the rail network while preliminary cost estimates and detailed engineering studies are due for completion by February 2001. The meeting urged West African governments to introduce laws that will make sure the railroads operate on a competitive and commercial basis. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Executive Secretary Lansana Kouyate said railroads in the subregion suffer from “deplorable conditions of lines, inadequacy of fixed installations and signalling equipment, obsolete locomotives as well as difficulties in obtaining spare parts”. The meeting was attended by ECOWAS representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Also present were representatives of the ECOWAS Fund for Cooperation, the ADB, the ECA and the UAR.