The 18th African Regional Assembly, attended by UIC Africa members and partners, was held as a hybrid event in Paris and online within the framework of the annual UIC General Assembly.

Mohamed Khlie, CEO of ONCF and Chairman of the UIC African Region, welcomed participants to the Assembly and noted the important role UIC plays in positioning railways on the continent. He remarked that Africa continues to show momentum in its transformation, drawing its foundations from the Agenda 2063, ‘The Africa We Want’, in which sustainable mobility is placed at the heart of the new African dynamic.

UIC Director General François Davenne noted the opportunities for development on the African continent over the next ten years and explained that UIC provides practical tools for railway development. He also remarked that the astounding success of the UIC Symposium held on 30 November and 1 December showed that all UIC regions are aligned with the Vison 2030 document, ‘Design a Better Future’, enabling collaboration on the tools necessary for implementation of the solutions.

The Assembly was moderated by Thierry Béra, UIC Africa Coordinator, and by Said Chandid, Head of the UIC Africa Regional Office, who noted the region’s achievements in 2021, such as increased collaboration with the African Union and AUDA-NEPAD, the success of regional activities such as the African Railway Thursday webinars, held every two months and attended by 200 participants on average, four annual training sessions, the launch of the African Railway Green Deal manifesto presented at COP26 in Glasgow and the development of the Strategic Study 2063.

The similarly ambitious programme for 2022 includes plans to organise more in-person conferences and training sessions.