The pre-feasibility study findings of the Trans-Kalahari Rail Corridor Development project have been made public.

This was revealed by Botswana's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Noah Salakae.

The Batswana minister revealed the news at the opening of the Joint Ministerial Committee meeting at Swakopmund.

The aim is for Namibia and Botswana to receive progress reports on the Trans-Kalahari Rail Corridor Development project.

"Botswana and Namibia have come a long way with the idea of constructing a railway line across the Kalahari to the Atlantic Ocean port of Walvis Bay in Namibia as part of a plan to export Botswana's coal; however, this did not take off. But I'm not into that; I'm into the way forward. And let us agree, whatever the challenges that belong to the dustbin of history, going forward we are in a hurry. Our pre-feasibility study findings are right here in our hands. We are at a stage now where we should plan for a proper feasibility study."

Namibia's Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, stressed that the meeting should not dwell on why previous decisions could not be implemented.

Mutorwa highlighted the decision taken in the previous meeting to fast-track the project to the point of no return.

He reminded the technocrats that the legal document was signed a decade ago at Walvis Bay.

"The best befitting manner to honour and respect our political leaders, both Botswana and Namibia, particularly at the level of the heads of state, those that left us and those leading us now, is to timeously implement practically and translate into practical realities their ideas. We dare not fail them, we dare not fail ourselves, we dare not fail our countries, our region SADC, and we dare not fail our continent, Africa."

Described as an ambitious plan, the Trans Kalahari railway project will cover a distance of 1,500 kilometres.

It is expected to transform fragmented regional trade in SADC and contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of Botswana and Namibia.