Current status of the Trans-African highway

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC and SOCIAL COUNCIL

Eistr.

LIMITED

E / CN. 14 / TRANS / 43 / Rev. 1

14 June 197-1

Original: ENGLISH

inI in mnmn in id in inn in inn in in minim

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Trans-African Highway Committee

First Meeting

Addis Ababa, 14-18 June 1971

CURRENT STATUS

OF THE TRANS-AFRICAN HIGHWAY

CONTENTS

A. Introduction ---

B. Current status of the Trans-African Highway C. Project justification - - - - D. The Trans-African Highway Committee - -

E. Preliminary Survey ______

F. Assistance -' - -

G. Trans-African Highway Motor Rally - -

Page 1 1

ANNEXES

I. Resolution 226(x): Trans-African Highway

II- Road map of Africa

III. Current status of the Trans-African Highway IV. Route Chart of the Trans-African Highway.

V. Trans-African Highway map

M71-1469

E/CN.14/TRANS/43/Rev.1

THE TRANS-AFRICAN HIGHWAY

A. Int roduct ion ■ ■ .

1. The Economic Commission for Africa, at the first meeting of the Con ference of Ministers held in Tunis from 8 to 13 February 1971, examined a proposal for the construction of a trans-African highway, and passed a resolution requesting the Executive Secretary to assist in the formation of a Trans-African Highway Committee. It also requested the Executive Secretary to take appropriate steps to invite prospective supporters to consider ways and means of mobilizing financial and technical resources, and of securing the necessary international assistance, for this purpose.

(See annex i).

B. Current status of the Trans-African Highway ■.

2. The proposed route will run from Mombasa (Kenya) through Kampala

(Uganda), Kisangani (Democratic Republic of Congo), Bangui (Central African Republic), HsaoSndere (Cameroon), Kano (Nigeria and end in Lagos (Nigeria).

(See ,ap« V). The highway will join at Kano.with *fY * omXaTchott African network which serves the Entente countries and extends from Nouakchott (Mauritania) to Fort Lamy (Chad), various portions of »^<* ¥™.£re*J ££

studied and submitted to aid and finance agencies for consideration and with the Trans-Saharan Road, whose prefeasibility study has been completed under the auspices of UNDP.(See map, annex II).

3. The present status of the proposed Trans-African Highway which is given

country by country in annex III, and is also shown by the route chart (annex

IV), may be summarized as follows:

Kenya Uganda

Congo (D.R. )

CAR Cameroon

Nigeria Total

Total

length (km)

928

665

2,147

, 614 •

858

1,847 7,059

Per cent 13.1

9.4

30.4 0.7 12.2 26.2 - 100.0

Road All-weather

928^ 557^

614

472 ■

1,802^

822

... 5,195 .

surface condi Partially improved

108

% 1,2.43 ■

142

-

§2-

1,522 .

tion

Unimproved

.-.

290

—

36 . 16 342.

■ — -I—--

a/ Bituminous surfaced.

b/ 498 km of this are bituminous surfaced.

E/CN. 14/THAN.s/43/Rev. 1

Page 2

4. According to information available at the secretariat, 5*195 km (73-6 per cent) of the total length of the project are of all-weather standard, 1,522 km (21.6 per cent) are partially improved and only 342 km (4»8 per cent) are unimproved earth tracks. How much improvement*work will be needed on the currently partially improved road sections is not, at present, known

and could be determined'after a preliminary survey of the proposed route.

C. Project Justification

5. It should be remembered that although the project length is about 7»O59 km, work is not required to be undertaken on the entire length sinoe.the greater portion of the route has already been constructed on the basis of. the national

priorities of the countries involved. ' .

6. Although it is not at present possible, ..for lack of information, to make an economic evaluation of the project, the Trans-African Highway is expected to:

(a) Stimulate economic activities in the region; ' . (b) Provide cheap international links;

(c) Promote tourism; and

(d) Develop better relations and economic co-operation among the countries, D. The Trans-African Highway Committee

7. It is recommended that the terms of reference of the Trans-African Highway Committee should include the following.

(a) Organization ' • - - . ..

8. The Committee will consist of a representative from each of the ECA member States' through whose territory the Trans-African Highway will pass, and donor countries and institutions or organizations which will support the project. .

(b) Membership

9. The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa or his representative, will serve as an ex-officio member of the Committee.

(c)' Financing

10. All participants will be responsible for financing the attendance at Committee meetings of their members or alternates, ...

11. The Committee will meet once a year, but may be convened at the request of member States or on the initiative of the Secretary, as and when required

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Page 3

12, The officers of the Committee will be a chairman and a vice-chairman.

The secretariat of the Economic Commission for Africa will provide the necessary supporting administrative services for the meetings^and the work of the Committee.

(f) Functions

13. The Committee exists to promote and co-ordinate the planning, construction, improvement and maintenance of the Trans-African Highway Project. It will,

for this purpose:

(i) Recommend to Governments of member States concerned measures relating to the planning, construction, improvement and maintenance of the

Trans-African Highway;

(ii) Undertake or cause to be undertaken studies and research in relation to the planning, construction, improvement and maintenance of the

Trans-African Highway or any part of it;

(iii) Explore possibilities of obtaining financial and technical assistance

for the project;

(iv) Prepare and submit on behalf of the African Governments involved

requests for financial, technical and other assistance, and co-operate, in the administration of such assistance as may be granted under the appropriate programmes of the United Nations, the specialized agencies, other organizations or Governments desirous of supporting the object

ives of the Committee;

(v) Review from time to time the performance and progress of the parti

cipating parties in the execution of the project;

(vi) Submit for the approval of the Committee proposals for apportioning

among the participants the costs of the Committee's activities and

those of its organs;

(vii) Recommend measures for improving international traffic on the Trans-

African Highway and in particular promote:

(a) The simplification of customs rules -and procedures governing

the temporary importation of private and commercial vehicles;

(b) The simplificationof regulations and procedures applicable to goods and passenger traffic, including customs and immigration formalities; and

(c) The establishment of ancillary services and facilities along the Trans-African Highway.

E/CN. 14/TRANS/4VRev*

Page 4

(g) Procedures

14. The Committee will consider and adopt rules and directives concerning its activities and those of its organs including but not limited to financial,

technical and administrative matters.

15. The secretariat of ECA will provide the necessary servicing of the Committee's meetings. The secretariat will, in accordance with the policies and decisions of the Committee, have the responsibility for the organization, direction and administration of the Committee. In particular,.it will:

(i) Submit to the Committee its work programmes and budgets;- (ii) Carry out the work programme in accordance with the decisions

of the Committee; ' '

(iii) Submit to the Committee annual reports on its activities including a financial statement on its income and expenditures;

(iv) At the request of the Committee, conclude arrangements on its behalf for the securing of grants, loans, technical services and other

facilities, for the planning, construction, improvement and maintenance

of the Trans-African Highway;-

(v)' Co-ordinate the work of the Committee with that to the Economic Commission for Africa and other organizations and governments

interested in the Trans-African Highway;

(vi) Convene, in consultation with the Executive Secretary of the Commission and the Chairman of tho Ccrrjnittoe?mootinSs of the

Committee and its organs, and act as its Secretary.

16. The Committee may invite representatives of Governments and of specialized agencies to attend specific meetings of the Committee in a consultative capacity on agenda items of interest to those Governments and organizations, which will

bear the cost of their attendants.

17. Addis Ababa will serve as the secretariat of the Committee, as well as the venue for its meetings,, except in special cases and, at the invitation of member States who offer to bear the costs of the meeting.

,E. ■ Preliminary Survey -

18. The secretariat is of the view that the bulk of preliminary evaluation

■work should be carried out by inter-governmental field working parties composed of, highway engineers and transport economists, supplemented by consultants.

The advantages of this approach include:

E/CH.14/TRANS/43/Rev.1

Page 5

(a) Cutting down repetitious and time-wasting work on general studies

covering the whole region traversed by the Highway;

- (b) Associating African engineers and technicians in each country with the different phases of the project;

(c) Allowing several pre-investment studies to be taken concurrently in the different countries;

(d) Facilitating the collecting and refining of data at the national level;

. (e) Enabling member States with or without the help of the World Pood

•Programme to meet local costs more easily;

(f) Enabling Governments to shoulder part of the burden of development and reducing the need to depend too greatly on external aid.

P. Assistance

19. The cost of constructing a Trans-African Highway will depend upon many factors among which will be: the engineering and geometrical standards adopted, the terrain along the route selected, the amount of bridging involved, the proportion of new construction to improvement of existing sections, and the terms of which finance is likely to be available. But it is clear that the cost of this project would be in millions of US dollars.- Due to lack of information, even a rough estimate would be very risky to attempt here. It is obvious, therefore, that the first tack of the Committee is to commission an investigation cf such matters.

G. Trans-African Highway Motor Rally

20. To test the existing route with a view to proving its suitability, accelerating its improvement, promoting the provision of ancillary services and easing frontier formalities, it is recommended that a Trans-African

Highway Motor Rally be organized to start from Mombasa (Kenya) and end in

Kano or Lagos (Nigeria) as convenient. The Committee might consider establish ing a sub-committee to investigate the possibility of organizing such annual motor rallies.

Annex I

Annex I. ECA RESOLUTION" 226(X) TRANS-AFRICAN HIGHWAY

The Conference of Ministers, \ ■

Recognizing the importance of improved transport networks for national : and international economic integration in Africa and for opening up new

areas with promising agricultural and mineral potential; - , Considering that the development of efficient transport networks would, , in particular, be conducive to the attainment of the priority objective of

increasing intra-African trade, other forms of economic co-operation and contacts between African countries;

Noting that the Trans-African Highway project is of a multinational

character and therefore requires multinational machinery for its implementation.

Noting the interest of developed countries in the implementation of this project fur the benefit of the African peoples,

!• Requests the Executive Secretary in agreement with the Governments of

Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, ; Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, to consider the establishment of a committee

to study the feasibility of the route and the improvements and modifications that would have to be made in existing segments :>i" the highway in question and the construction of additional linking segments; '

2. Calls upon the United Nations Development Programme, the African ; Development Bank, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and ; Development to study what forms of assistance they can provide for the :;

implementation of the project and to consider the possibility of creating ;:

flows of trade among the countries traversed by the said highway; '' 3» Requests the Executive Secretary to help in the formation of the j*

Trans-African Highway Committee and to take all appropriate steps to g interest investors with a view to mobilizing financial and technical Jsj resources in industrialized countries and to securing the necessary ^

international assistance for this purpose. >~$

ANNEX - ANNEXE -

pi T

ROAD MAP OF AFRICA

CARTE ROUTIERE DE liAFRIQUE

TRANS-AFRICAN HIGHWAY AXE ROUTIEft TRANSAFRICAIN

TRANS-WEST AFRICAN HIGHWAY AXE RO U TIES OUEST'APRJCAIN

TRANS-SAHARAN ROAD

ROUTE TRANSSAMARIENNE

The boundaries ihown on thl* mipare not. In tome Imtan- cei. finally determined and their reproduction doei not Imp!)' official endonement or acceptance by the United Natloni.

Dam certain* cat, lei frontitrei Indiquiei lur la presence cine ne tont pai definltivement flxeet. Le fait qu'ellei tone indiqufei ne slgnlfle pai qce I'Orjiniiiilon dei NitioniUnletles reconniltou ieiapprouveoffidellenxnt.

CART-M-7I-2I

Annex III

Annex III. CURRENT "STATUS OF'THE TRANS-AFRICAN HIGHT.'AY

Mombasa-Nairobi-Malaba (Kenya/Uganda frontier)

The portion,of the proposed Trans-African. Highway passing through Kenya, from Mombasa to Malaba, has a total.length of 928 km and all of it

is hard surfaced. . ■

UGANDA ■ ■ .■ ■

Malaba-Kampala-Mbarara-Kasindi -. ■ ' ' ■"■-•' The section of; the proposed route traversing Uganda has a-.total length of 665 km which consi&ts-of the following three sections;

(i) Ma-laba-Mbarara: 498 km, hard surfaced road;

(i,i), Mbarara.-Ka tun guru: 108 km, partially improved road;

(iii) Katuguru-Kasindi: 59: km, improved road. ' - ■ '■'' The length of' the route section in Uganda which needs improvement is,

therefore, 108 km. ' " '

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THtt CONGO . ...

Kasindi-Membasa-Kisangani-Buta-Lisala-Zongo - . . . . About 2147-km' (30:~per :cerit) of the total length of the proposed Trans-African Highway passes through the north-eastern region o.f the

Democratic Republic of the Congo- About two-thirds of ttie route portion

in the Congo were examined in a recently conducted transport reconnaissance study,-whi.ch states: .... .... v . . - ■ . ■ - ., , ■... - . . -.

""Because of the"basic geography uf the north-east Congo region, the; .

road network carries the main burden af transport and only to a lesser' degree serves as a feeder system to river ports and railway stations; a

transport situation unlike that of :Jther regions of the Congo. Indeed, compared to alternative transport modes, road transport in the region is the single, most-efficient means of linking viable economic units, and of permitting significant reductions in the transfer costs of goods to regional outlets. Thus, it is recommended that an emergency programme for the

reconstruction and maintenance of important sections of the existing regional read network, including "bridge repair and ferry replacement, be undertaken immediately. Failure to take this action will seriously delay the economic recovery of the region by leaving significant productive areas .cut off from markets cr hobbled by exorbitant transportation costs.-/

1/ A Transport Reconnaissance of the north-east Congo region. USAID,

December 197O-.

Annex 111 Page 2'

More specifically, the report recommends an emergency programme for the reconstruction and maintenance of the following roads:

. Sections requiring repair

Kisangani-Buta 164 km, from Kisangani to point 35 km past Banalia;

and 40 km from Mbindi to Buta. ■ ' Emergency repair of 3 medium and 7 small bridges ' also recommended. Bridges provided for under

USAID-counterpart financed contract with Enterprises Reunis.

Buta-Aketi ' 50 km from Dulia to Aketi ...

Aketi-Bumta 75 km from Bumba to Aketi

Kisangani-Mombasa 500 km from Kisangani to Mombasa (Government

financed work nearing completion).

Mombasa-Beni 100 km of bad sections from Mombasa to Beni. ■ '

The study's criteria for selecting the aforementioned road sections

were the degree to which their repair would:

(i) facilitate the present movement of goods to consumption centres,

river ports and railway stations;

(ii) contribute to increased agricultural and industrial production

in the present zones of economic activity; ■ • : ...

(iii) help re-establish previously efficient intra-regional movement'

of agricultural crops and minerals to regional outlets;

(iv) facilitate the political, administrative, or security requirements

-- of an area. ' . ■;,

The condition of the portion of the Trans-African Highway passing

through the Democratic Republic of the Congo may therefore ,be sumarized as , "

follows::

Annex III Page 3

Surface condition

Road Section Lenth All-weather. .Partially ..improved Unimproved

Kasindi-Beni Beni-Mombasa Mombasa-Kisangani Kisangani-Buta Buta-Bumba Bumba-Lisala Lisala-Akula Akula-Zongo

80 138 534 321 345 139 190 400

80

534-

38

321-

345

139

400

100

190

Total 2147

614

1243 ²⁹⁰

a/ Vjork nearing completion.

CENTRAL AB'EECAN REPUBLIC

Bangui-Bossembele-Garcma Boulai (C AH /Cameroon frontier)

The proposed Trans-African Highway traverses the south-western region of the Central African Republic. The length of the route is about 614 km and consists of the following three sections:

(i) Bangui-Bossembele: 157 km, improved road;

(ii) Bossembele-Bossemtele II: 142 km, partially improved; and (iii) Bossemtele II-Garoua Boula: 315 km» improved road.

Thus, 472 km are of all-weather standard while the remaining 142 km are partially improved,

CAMEROON

Garoua Boulai -Nfia'iundere-Garoua-Maroua-Kirawa (Cameroon/Kigeria frontier)

The portion of the route passing through Cameroon has a total length of about 858 km, about 822 km of which are of all-weather standard and the remaining 36" km' are earth tracks. The route consists of the following three sections:

(i) Garoua Boulai-Marouas 762 km, all-weather;

(ii) Maroua-Mora: 60 km, partially improved road;

(iii) Mora-Kirawa: 36 km, earth track.

Annex III Page 4

1 ..;... .".■".' NIGERIA ■ ....

! Kirawa-Maiduguri-Kano-Kontagora-Ib'a dan-Lagos

About 1847 km (26 per cent) of the Trans-African Highway is in Nigeria J and the whole length is hard surfaced except for the 45 km near the Nigeria-

, Cameroon border which consist of 29 km of partially improved road and 16 km '

. of. earth tracks. Of the 1847 km in Nigeria, therefore, only- about 45 :km would

! need improvement. ■-.,..

■'' 1

ANNEX ANNEXE ^IV

TRANS-AFRICAN HIGHWAY : MOMBASA TO LAGOS

AXE ROUTIER TRANSAFRICAIN : MOMBASA - LAGOS

( DISTANCES IN KILOMETRES ) ( DISTANCES EN KILOMETRES }

LAGOS

ISO

MAIDUGURI 69 29 16 30 60 MAROUA 66

114 GAROUA

NGAOUNDERE

BOSSCMtELE II

142

B03SEMBELE

157 BANGUI

LAUOS -i

NIGERIA 1847

NIGERIA CAMEROUN

CAMEROUN 858

CAMEROUN RCA

BANGUI R . C. A

190

LI3ALA

I3B

BAFWA5EN0E

RCA 614

RCA CONGOlR.EH

SEKI SO KASINOI

106

MBARARA

CONGO IR-D.ll

2147

CONGO(R.a) _{. L MOMBAB*}

CONGOlR.O.) UGANDA

UGANDA 665

UGANDA KENYA

KENYA 928

UGANDA

ROAD SURFACE Hard Suifoeid Bltuin**

Improved Pttmontnu PartloMy Imprand Sam)- (urmoAtntt EailH Rh«i oM Tr Pit)*

KENYA UGANDA CONGO<R.D.) RCA_ CAMEROUN NIGERIA TOTAL

— — IBOt

406 99 IOB

T33

I0B6- 471

142 tzz

ZS 3EE6 less

I73B- 3SO

70W

°J Improvement of 500km f'om Kitonqoni to Mombasa it underwoy. Furthermora, ont recant ttudy racommtndt th« improvemint of onother 253km , o( which 204km are between Kisangoni and Buta and 49km between Bula and Akeii.

£/ L'omenoqement de 500km de 'Ouie permanente eit en court entre Ki»ongoni at MombatQ, En outre, ung atuda re'centa recommonde un poreil Omanogiment 6t 253km de route, donl 204km entre Kitongani et Buto, et 49km antre Bula *t Akati.

10° 20° 30'

NIGER

\

TRANS-AFRICAN HIGh

MOMBASA

AXE ROUTIER

MOMBASA

TO LAGOS

TRANSAF

- LAGOS

10

i

ETH SUDAN

REPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE

GULF OF GUINEA GOLfE ti GUINEE

„ Lisalo Akula ^.

UGANDA

Bofwasende \\

_KAMPALA

ROADS ROUTES

RWANDA SiNAIROBl

REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO

Burundi

KILOMETRES

KENYA

20° 30°

CART-M-7I-I8