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PAGE 01 KINSHA 10564 201525Z
ACTION AF-08
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 L-03 H-01 AID-05 CIAE-00 COME-00 EB-07
FRB-03 INR-07 NSAE-00 USIA-06 TRSE-00 XMB-02 OPIC-03
SP-02 CIEP-01 LAB-04 SIL-01 OMB-01 IGA-02 DOTE-00
/057 W
--------------------- 068158 /53
R 201450Z DEC 76
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1006
INFO AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY GABARONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
AMEMBASSY MASERU
AMEMBASSY MBABANE
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 10564
E.O. 11652: GDS 12/31/82
TAGS: ELTN, EAID, CG, XA
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN AFRICA TRANSPORTATION STUDY
REF: STATE 271353
1. POST FEELS THAT SUBJECT ANALYSIS OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN
RAILWAY SYSTEM IS INCOMPLETE DUE TO OMISSION OF ZAIRIAN TRANSIT
TRAFFIC THROUGH SOUTHERN AFRICA. ZAIRE'S MINERAL-PRODUCING SHABA
REGION HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT USER OF THE SOUTHERN
AFRICAN RAILWAY SYSTEM SINCE THE CLOSURE OF THE BENGUELA RAILROAD;
ZAIRE'S OWN VOIE NATIONALE, AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE FOR GOODS
DESTINED TO OR FROM SHABA IS NOT CAPABLE OF MEETING SHABA'S
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS UNASSISTED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT CAPACITY
AND POOR MANAGEMENT. SHABA CURRENTLY IMPORTS GOODS VIA DAR ES
SALAAM AND SOUTH AFRICAN PORTS (WHICH NECESSITATES TRANSIT OF
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RHODESIA); SHABA ALSO IMPORTS A SUBSTANTIAL VOLUME OF GOODS
ORIGINATING IN SOUTH AFRICA AND RHODESIA. SHABA'S MINERAL
EXPORTS (WHICH EARN TWO-THIRDS OF ZAIRE'S FOREIGN EXCHANGE)
ALSO USE THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRANSPORT SYSTEM. APPROXIMATELY
HALF OF ZAIRE'S COPPER IS CURRENTLY EXPORTED VIA RHODESIA AND
SOUTH AFRICA. WE FEEL THAT ZAIRE'S USE OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN
TRANSPORT NETWORK WAS UNDERESTIMATED IN ASSESSING PRESENT
AND FUTURE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS.
2. AS MENTIONED ABOVE, ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT HAS CAUSED
ZAIRE TO TURN TO THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRANSPORT SYSTEM IS THE
VOIE NATIONALE'S INABILITY TO HANDLE THE TRAFFIC. THEREFORE,
IT IS LOGICAL THAT THE VOIE NATIONALE BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF ANY FUTURE STUDIES OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRANSPORT
NETWORK, SINCE CONDITIONS ON THE VOIE NATIONALE AFFECT THE
ZAIRIAN TRAFFIC DIRECTED TO SOUTHERN AFRICA.
3. POST AGREES WITH CONCLUSION A, PARA 2, IN REFTEL TO THE
EFFECT THAT MAJOR NEW INTERREGIONAL TRUNK ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT
ROUTES ARE NOT REQUIRED ON PURELY ECONOMIC GROUNDS. WE DO NOT
AGREE WITH CONCLUSION B, THAT "EXISTING INTERREGIONAL TRUNK ROAD
AND RAIL TRANSPORT ROUTES DO NOT REQUIRE MAJOR REHABILITATION,"
SINCE WE FEEL THAT ZAIRE'S VOIE NATIONALE SHOULD BE INCLUDED
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF ANY SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRANSPORT STUDY;
THE VOIE NATIONALE IS IN NEED OF REHABILITATION AND MAJOR UP-
GRADING. EVEN WITH THE CURRENT LOW IMPORT LEVELS CAUSED BY
ZAIRE'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS, THE VOIE NATIONALE IS CLEARLY INSUFFI-
CIENT. REOPENING OF THE BENGUELA WOULD IMPROVE THE SITUATION,
BUT ZAIRE WOULD CONTINUE TO RELY ON THE SOUTHERN ROUTE FOR ITS
SUBSTANTIAL IMPORTS FROM RHODESIA AND SOUTH AFRICA.
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