( 3minutes read)
· Africa is in need of an infrastructure overhaul. Every country in the continent has a massive infrastructural gap of varying degrees
· The demand for bigger roads, metros, bus systems, and bridges far outweighs the investment. That is true for Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Ethiopia
· Angola has roped in German transportation company Siemens Mobility to build the light rail under a Public-Private Partnership.
Africa is in need of an infrastructure overhaul. Every country in the continent has a massive infrastructural gap of varying degrees. The demand for bigger roads, metros, bus systems, and bridges far outweighs the investment. That is true for Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Ethiopia.
The UN has recommended a sustainable model of urban growth by 2030. That lays importance to an environment friendly urban transport network. Happily, countries are preparing for that. Angola intends to launch a surface metro for its capital, Luanda to bring innovation to the city. The country has roped in German transportation company
Siemens Mobility to build the light rail under a Public-Private Partnership. This will entail a cost of US$3.5 billion for building a network of 149 kms around the city. The German government has told that it would help Siemens secure financing for the project.
There are severe limitations for Luanda from the perspective of rapid mobility. The idea of light rail was suggested in 2019. This has led to German transport company –Siemens Mobility signing an agreement in 2019. The Angolan government in early 2020 started building the 149 km (93 miles ) network under a public private partnership. The network
will serve the main axis of the city; from the Port of Luanda to Cacuaco, Avenida Fidel Castro Ruz-Benfica, Port of Luanda – Largo da Independência and Cidade do Kilamba. Traffic gridlocks are common in Luanda due to a lack of a modern public transportation system.
