UIC urges harmonised standards, sustainable rail investment in Africa

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU in Angola

THE International Union of Railways (UIC) has called for the harmonisation of rail standards and greater investment coordination across Africa to strengthen the continent’s cross-border railway corridors and unlock their full potential for trade and climate sustainability.
Ms. Maria Lafont, Senior Advisor for the African Region at UIC, said harmonised standards and procedures were vital to attracting private investment and ensuring safer, more predictable logistics.
She was speaking yesterday during a ministerial panel on African Integrated and Cross border Bankable Railway network at the third Luanda Summit on Financing Infrastructure in Africa for Development in Angola.
“From the U.S. experience and also from our cooperation with the African Union, I think the following measures would be important to more effectively put in place cross-border interoperable corridors,” Ms Lafont said.
“First of all, it will be, of course, the harmonisation of standards and procedures. Harmonised standards attract investment because they provide for safer and more predictable logistics.”
She underscored that rail freight, by its nature, is international, and therefore demands coordinated approaches that transcend national borders.
Such harmonisation, she explained, could serve as a resilient support chain for landlocked regions in Africa, improving connectivity and trade efficiency.
While noting the legal challenges in enforcing uniform standards, Ms. Lafont cited examples from other regions where cross-border standards and wagon exchange systems had been successfully implemented.Beyond harmonisation, she highlighted the need for institutional coordination, robust legal frameworks, and digitalisation, adding that financing remained one of the most pressing challenges.
“We must attract private investment by creating blended mechanisms and mobilising sustainable financing at all levels – national, regional, and international,” she said. “For instance, through geopolitical and climate funds.”
Ms. Lafont referred to a UIC paper published two years ago on bridging the railway financing gap, which found that if low- and middle-income countries were to quadruple their rail ratio by eight percent, aligning with leading peers in the sector, it could significantly cut global emissions.
“Such an improvement would reduce CO₂ emissions by 1.8 gigatons by 2050, at a cost of just US$30 to US$40 per ton,” she noted. “It would also generate revenue between US$30 billion and US$70 billion, demonstrating that sustainable rail investment is not only good for the environment but also economically sound.”
Ms. Lafont reaffirmed UIC’s commitment to supporting Africa’s rail transformation agenda through technical cooperation, knowledge sharing, and advocacy for sustainable investment frameworks.
She emphasised that Africa’s pursuit of interoperable rail corridors represented a pivotal opportunity to enhance economic integration, boost regional trade, and contribute meaningfully to global decarbonisation goals.