The African Union (AU) special envoy for infrastructure Raila Odinga has called for a more enhanced transport network across Africa to boost connectivity and trade. Speaking during an infrastructure meeting in Nairobi, Raila said a transcontinental corridor connecting the Eastern, Western Central Africa and deep sea ports of Lamu Douala in Cameroon and spanning around the continent up to Northern Africa.
He added that a continental high-speed freight railway is also needed to boost, “This is another important change agent that will have a tremendous impact on the African continental free trade area,” he said, “It is good to go to Kigali and sign an agreement to open up Africa, but how does Africa trade with itself?” He gave an example of how trade in Africa isn’t as easy as it should be, saying that for Kenya to trade with the Central African Republic, the shipping route used to export goods to CAR is through South Africa, up to Douala in Cameroon, “The French are there faster than us yet it’s only about 2 hours by plane from here to there.”