The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency's CEO, Lwazi Mboyi, says the governments of Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa have emphasised the need to work together to realise Africa's integration.
Mboyi made these remarks during the 20th anniversary of the Trans Kalahari Corridor Secretariat (TKCS) held at Swakopmund.
The transport and trade corridor, Mboyi says, advances the collective ambition of linking Africa, ensuring economic growth, and promoting trade.
He added that member states are entrusted with the massive responsibility of ensuring that they grow and promote the seamless movement of goods and services across their borders.
During the past twenty years, the TKCS has managed to harmonise borders, laws, legal instruments, regulations, and regional integration.
"We have not yet looked at the statistics amongst the different countries, but there is a significant amount of trade that moves between these countries, and therefore it is important that the systems that we put in place are aligned—systems that are assisting the region to understand the context of trade but also understand the need to move the goods and services better amongst ourselves as different regulators," said Mboyi.
The co-chair for South Africa, Segodi Mogotsi, says the forebearers' vision of connecting Africa from Cape to Cairo was not a vision in vain.
"It's through this kind of effort that we see that this is happening, ministers. Africa's integration, especially during this time of continental free trade, is becoming a reality in a much faster past coordinated amongst different member states, and in this context within the TKC itself, we thank the ministers for giving us this opportunity to celebrate the 20 years of TKC."
Namibia's Deputy Minister of Works and Transport, Veikko Nekundi, said Namibia will continuously support the corridor institutions, such as the TKCS.
"This is the only way that our three member states will fast-track the much desired deeper integration, which is key for our economic growth and development for our region and our people, as part of our contribution to the MOU of TKC."
Botswana Minister of Transport Eric Molale says unity among African states is crucial.
"The Trans Kalahari Corridor is just not a road; it is about people; it is about trade; it is about everything that has to do with African unity. My own president is talking to the Zambians, the Zimbabweans, and the South Africans about having this free movement replicated across the region, and I believe that we shall overcome."
As part of the celebration, about 30 cyclists from the three member states cycled from Rustenburg in South Africa, via Botswana, to Namibia's port of Walvis Bay.
They cycled for 14 days, covering approximately 1,800 kilometres.
The aim was to advocate for and strengthen unity among member states and promote safety and security for road users along the TCK.