Botswana Railways Pushes for Land-Linked Future at SARA Conference

Botswana Railways recently made a significant pitch at the Southern African Railway Association (SARA) Conference, held from 20 to 23 October 2026 in Sandton. The conference, which marked thirty years since SARA's formation, brought together railway stakeholders to discuss the future of rail in Africa. Botswana Railways argued that the country's landlocked status is a condition, but being land-linked is a choice. This message was delivered by various representatives, including the Honourable Minister Keaogile Atamelang and Botswana Railways Board Chairperson, Mr. Chris Hughes.

The conference, themed "Reimagining Rail: Unlocking Investment and Industrialisation, Growth and Connectivity Across Africa," aimed to assess the progress made by SARA in representing the common business interests of the region's railways over the past three decades. Minister Atamelang emphasized that Africa's industrialization ambitions rely heavily on efficient, reliable, and interconnected railway systems. He stressed that rail investment must move beyond individual national projects toward integrated economic corridors that connect mines, farms, industries, and communities to regional and international markets.

Mr. Chris Hughes carried the message forward, stating that the success of one railway increasingly depends on the success of its neighbours and partners. He argued that regional collaboration is essential, not optional, and that Botswana is well-positioned to strengthen regional connectivity due to its central location, political stability, and commitment to safety and good governance. Mr. Hughes identified strategic alignment, disciplined execution, and stakeholder trust as key enablers for turning strategy into results.

Botswana Railways' operational doctrine focuses on making reliability commercially accountable. The organization's Director of Business Development and Operations, Mr. Semabale Tladi, emphasized that customers experience a rail journey as a whole, not as separate national railways. He called for railways to move from available capacity to executable capacity, which requires confirming various factors before accepting a commitment. This approach aims to connect operational planning directly to the customer promise.

To achieve this goal, Botswana Railways affirmed its commitment to integrated corridor planning built on a single end-to-end train plan, aligned resources, and interchange arrangements. The organization also emphasized the importance of shared information, early visibility of disruptions, and common performance measures with clear accountability and agreed escalation procedures. Botswana Railways called on the region to turn policies into reforms, projects into bankable investments, and track into reliable freight services.

Botswana Railways Caretaker General Manager, Mr. Okitanye Gaogane, sharpened the demand into a checklist, requiring transparent network access, harmonized standards, corridors, and dry ports designed around the customer's single logistics journey. He also emphasized the need for bankable investment and digital systems that are bought for operating outcomes. Mr. Gaogane suggested that the measure for the next thirty years should be freight delivered, risks reduced, investment mobilized, and African trade enabled.

Botswana Railways remains committed to working with the Government and regional partners to improve service reliability, grow freight volumes, and support Botswana's economic development through rail. The organization's efforts aim to drive economic diversification and industrialization across the region, using the railway as more than just a transit route. By focusing on the customer's needs and delivering reliable services, Botswana Railways hopes to redefine the country's wealth beyond its dependence on diamonds.

Key points

• Botswana Railways pushes for a land-linked future at the SARA conference.
• The organization emphasizes the need for regional collaboration and integrated corridor planning.
• Botswana Railways aims to drive economic diversification and industrialization across the region through reliable rail services.