Mavimbela urges speeding up implementing Cairo-Cape Town highway

CAIRO – 12 May 2019: South Africa's Ambassador to Egypt Vusi Mavimbela called for speeding up the implementation of Cairo-Cape Town highway to facilitate transportation of goods in Africa.

Mavimbela said that Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi attached importance to this project, and will work to complete its implementation during his presidency of the African Union.

This came at a meeting of the African Cooperation Committee at the Federation of Egyptian Industries, held from March 13 to 21, with a delegation of companies participating in a trade mission to Zambia and South Africa. During the meeting, Mavimbela expressed his desire to support the trade exchange between the two states, in accordance with their economic capabilities.

For his part, Topply Lubaya, Zambia's ambassador to Egypt,affirmed the possibility of joint cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

He pointed out that the fields of agriculture, information technology, infrastructure, and building materials are among the most important areas in which Egypt can participate in to benefit Zambia due to Egypt's experience in these fields.

The presence of Egyptian industrialists and businessmen in Zambia will help the latter know other sectors that Egypt and Zambia can cooperate in.

The meeting was attended by Hesham Nagi, deputy assistant Foreign Minister for African affairs, and a representative of Banque du Caire.

For his part, Sherif al-Gabali, chairman of the African Cooperation Committee at the Federation of Egyptian Industries,called for providing direct flights between Cairo, South Africa and Zambia to facilitate the movement of travelers and businessmen.

Sisi received in February the chairmanship of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government from Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame for a one-year term.

African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said that the commission will fully cooperate with Sisi as chairman of the AU to solve African issues and to achieve remarkable progress in the sustainable development agenda.

Cairo, Cape Town

Egypt’s former Minister of Transport Hesham Arafat said during a Parliamentary session that Egypt is looking forward to developing joint projects with African countries, including a land road between Cairo and Cape Town.

The Cape to Cairo Road or Pan-African Highway was proposed in 1890s, when Prime Minister of Cape Colony Cecil Rhodes dreamt for a ‘red line’ on the map, referring to British dominions. It is similar to the proposal of Cape-to Cairo Railway through British territory at that time.

Introduced as a plan aiming to develop Africa, the road would be 10,300 km long, starting from Alexandria Port on the Mediterranean Sea then Cairo, Sudan, Southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and finally South Africa.

Arafat said that part of the road has been accomplished and is ready for operation, which is running from Egypt to the borders with Sudan.