eBusiness Weekly
Enacy Mapakame
Billions of dollars have been set aside for the transport sector as Treasury identifies it as key in opening the country to more regional trade, subsequently enhancing Zimbabwe’s competitiveness at a time the country is looking at export driven growth.
The 2020 Zimbabwe Infrastructure Investment Programme identifies a reliable road and rail network as key areas of focus in improving linkages with regional counterparts.
Air transport cannot be overlooked in the programme as this is also a key enabler especially for the tourism industry with an influx of visitors anticipated in 2020.
As such, large sums of investment injections are being made towards development, rehabilitation and upgrading of the country’s road, rail and air transport infrastructure.
For road transportation, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, indicated projects should also address the traffic congestion especially in major cities and at ports of entry.
“Road transportation remains the mode of choice, and the Road Development Programme, which commenced in 2018, will be sustained during 2020 on the 91 665km road network,” said Minister Ncube in the 2020 Infrastructure Investment programme.
“This will be complimented by investments in other road assets that address traffic congestion, prevalent in major cities and ports of entry. Air traffic safety will also benefit from investments in Air Navigation Systems, as well as upgrading of infrastructure at our airports.
“The upgrading of our ports of entry infrastructure will enhance movement of people, reduce travel times and boost exports and overall trade,” said Minister Ncube.
For the road network, focus will be on dualisation and upgrading of major trunk roads and key among these include the Harare-Beitbridge, Harare-Bulawayo, Harare-Mutare, and secondary roads from gravel to bituminous surfacing.
Almost $3 billion has been earmarked for these road projects and others such as rehabilitation of bridges that have suffered neglect for years.
Poor transport network is one of the major challenges identified by local industry as impeding business, hampering the smooth flow of inputs into the country, movement of goods across value chains as well as exports into other countries.
Transport costs have therefore been one of the key operational costs for local businesses, creating scope for Government to expedite infrastructure as one way of enhancing ease of doing business.
The Treasury boss also highlighted the role of air travel to economic activities and as such channelled $1,3 billion towards ongoing upgrading works at the Robert Mugabe International Airport, $1,27 billion for the Joshua Nkomo Airport tower.
Another $30,2 million and equipment upgrades at airports worth $60 million will also be injected into the project.
The recently upgraded Victoria Falls Airport has been instrumental in the growth of tourist arrivals in the resort country, thus benefiting the tourism industry.
Said Minister Mthuli: “Infrastructure investments in the aviation sub-sector have seen the completion of the Victoria Falls International Airport, with positive spinoffs for the economy.
“Also to be prioritised is equipment to upgrade, through installation of Air Navigation Systems, among others, to improve air traffic safety at all airports.”
Transport infrastructure development and upgrade will be incomplete without looking at rail and the country’s ports of entry.
Border post infrastructure remains key to trade, cross border movement and national security, whilst combating transnational crimes such as trafficking, smuggling and terrorism.
In light of this, Minister Ncube’s National Budget is providing for interventions that will ensure effective integrated border management systems at ports of entry, allowing for customs and immigration processes to be streamlined for seamless information sharing at all levels, and timely remedial action, where necessary.
As such, an allocation of $243 million has been set aside for the upgrading of infrastructure facilities at ports of entry through the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).
Under this initiative, Beibridge modernisation takes centre stage as the post is the country’s busiest port of entry.
