As the East African Community (EAC) assumes the rotating chairmanship of the Tripartite Task Force, it has put forth a compelling call for a harmonized, continent-wide strategy for resource mobilization in Africa. The objective to supplant existing fragmented efforts, thereby enhancing the continent's financial capacity and fostering self-sustainability within the African Union (AU) and its Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

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Despite its critical ability to efficiently cover long distances, railway transport in Africa remains significantly underdeveloped, contributing remarkably little to overall cargo movement. According to a 2016 report of the International Union of Railways (IUR), the total volume transported in Africa by rail fluctuated around 200 billion unit-km, of which 70% was freight. The report commented that this volume represents only 2% of global rail traffic, positioning Africa as the least railway-connected continent worldwide. The Djibouti-Ethiopia railway, one of the Africa’s newest lines, vividly illustrates this underutilization. A recent report from the Ministry of Transport of Ethiopia referenced in an article from The Reporter (Ethiopia), reveals that despite the increasing financial performance registered by this railway during the latest 11 months, rail transport still accounts for only 14 percent of total cargo moved between the two nations, even though the reasons of this underutilization are not clearly indicated. In stark contrast, trucks continue to bear the overwhelming majority of the burden, handling 84 percent of all cargo. Air transport, while crucial for high-value or time-sensitive goods, covers less than two percent.

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