Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali, on Wednesday, 20th August 2024, officially launched the 4th Edition of the Land-Linked Zambia Conference scheduled for 10th and 11th April 2025, with a call for smart corridors to ease the movement of goods, services and people across the continent.
Mr Tayali noted that Africa accounts for 17 major transport corridors that are central to regional trade and connectivity, and it is estimated that these corridors facilitate the movement of over 150 million tonnes of cargo annually, with an economic contribution of billions of dollars to the African economy.
He said Zambia had embraced all the corridors, namely the North-South Corridor, Beira Corridor, Central Corridor, Walvis Bay Corridor and now, the Lobito Corridor, with numerous business and investment opportunities.
Mr Tayali said: “Beyond economic benefits, smart transport corridors have the power to unite the continent. In a world that is increasingly interconnected, Africa cannot afford to be left behind. We must embrace the future and build transport networks that are not only efficient but also resilient and adaptive to the changing needs of our societies.”
The 2025 4th Edition of the Land-Linked Conference will be held in Lusaka under the theme, “Embracing SMART Transport Corridors in Africa”.
Mr Tayali said the theme “is a clarion call to action – a call for innovation, collaboration, and strategic planning as we work to transform Africa into a continent that is seamlessly connected and economically vibrant. To this end, Zambia is playing a critical central role in these efforts of connecting Africa and beyond.”
The conference is organised by Africast, and has grown over the years to become a premier platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation, bringing together policymakers, investors, businesses, and development partners from across the continent and beyond.
The Minister said the upcoming Land-Linked Zambia Conference is particularly significant as it comes at a time when the African Continental Free Trade Area, which he described as a game-changer, is gaining momentum.
Mr Tayali described the event as a “significant milestone in our collective journey towards regional integration, trade facilitation, and sustainable economic development across Africa.”
He said: “As a region, we must be prepared to seize these opportunities, and use platforms such as the Southern African Railway Association (SARA) Rail Conference and the Land-linked Conference to develop strategies and partnerships needed to actualise regional trade and commerce.”
Africast founder and managing director Chimwemwe Nyirenda said that Zambia plays a significant role in facilitating trade with its neighbours as a land-linked country.
He said this role will be amplified as the demand for green minerals – copper, cobalt, zinc, nickel, and manganese – which are critical in emerging technologies such as electric cars, grows.
“The rush for these minerals explains why public and private sector investors are looking at cross-country corridors that move those critical elements out of the continent from resource-rich countries like Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to key outlets.
