• The role of rail as the backbone of the transport system
• Railway interconnection on a continental scale
• Maximising the integration of railway systems in Africa
• Firmly identifying and laying the groundwork for the ‘Pan-
  African Railway Network’

• Exploring the key drivers of rail freight growth
• Improving competition in the freight rail market
• The perfect situation: the customer can not keep up with the
  service provider
• Definitive strategy proposal for the African meter gauge – cost
  benefit analysis of implementing an African standard gauge

• Building Africa’s rail transport capacity
• Resolving capacity problems for continent-wide effectiveness
• Planning and implementing rail policies of the future
• The African debate: Privatisation vs. Concessioning
• Creating partnerships to improve cross-border transportation

• Infrastructure developments
• Projects for railways
• Funding of Projects
• Human resource developments
• Operations
• Role of IT and Marketing

• The customer is king – railway end users precise needs
• Comparing and contrasting road and rail from a major user’s
  perspective
• Where are the short falls and how to release the potential of
  freight rail
• The end-user output is growing – what infrastructure do we
  need?
• Discussing bottlenecks and turnaround times
• Meeting the evolving international standards and quality
  requirements

• Investing in refurbishments to maximise return on asset
  investment
• Sustainability of tracks and services – who should pay for the
  rehabilitation?
• Maintenance and refurbishment strategies to improve rails
  traditional low returns

This is your turn to un-conference your conference experience!
Personalise your learning by telling us the top 5 concerns that
keep you awake at night – and nominate, from all the speakers
and delegates present, who would give you the best answers!
We will aggregate everyone’s votes – and announce the topics
and speakers for Friday’s U-Turn discussion by close of day.
Enjoy this opportunity to control your conference agenda.

• Spending on maintenance vs. new assets
• Operational risk management – effective asset planning and
  prioritisation
• Delivering high quality rail infrastructure through correct
  resource allocation
• Implementing infrastructure audits and cost reduction policies
• Assessing the need for greater consistency within operating
  standards and systems

• Where is the shortage – current trends in skills recruitment
• Recruiting and retaining key staff with expertise
• Clearly defining the required skill set for railway professionals

Speed networking is an exciting, quick and non-pressured way
to meet fellow conference delegates and industry peers in
one 30-minute session. This is where long-lasting and
profitable relationships begin.

• Enhancing intermodal terminal performance
• Identifying ways to strengthen the individual transport modes
• Identifying the role of ports, rail and truck carriers in creating
  transport efficiency
• Strengthening ties between all stakeholders in the Intermodal
  chain
• Getting down to basics: how do we reduce transport costs in
  Africa?

• A fresh look at the rail-ports relationship: top port operators
  tell rail operators what needs to be done
• Improving infrastructure efficiency – optimising the transition
  of goods from ports to rail
• What is causing port backlogs?
• How many freight corridors are needed to improve the flow
  of goods from Cape to Cairo

• What are the key concerns for the Eastern Region?
• What has East Africa done with Chinese investment?
• Developments on Kenya, Uganda and Sudan railway line
• Input of the EU into the Djibouti Ethiopia Railways
• Eritrean railway rehabilitation project
• Exploring key maintenance needs for the region

• What are the key concerns for the Southern Region?
• Mozambique’s investment strategy – maintenance is the way
  to go
• Feasibility of a coal rail link between Botswana and South
  Africa
• Durban Trade Port – the inland railway port of the future
• Malawi, Zambia & Mozambique – an all new joint rail link
• Tri-national corridor: SDI (Spatial Development Initiative)
• Exploring key maintenance needs and current preferred
  procurement processes

• Accelerating growth through the use of intelligent transport
  systems
• Exploring the current benefits of the innovative signalling and
  telecommunications system
• Technical requirements for success with the use of upgraded
  technology
• Are there technical and safety limitations to modernisation for
  future systems

• Reducing procurement costs and expanding the market for
  private funding of trains
• Establishing a new international framework to facilitate
  private finance of rolling stock
• Lessons learnt from the aviation industry

• Tips for the adventurous investor – what factors are guiding
  investment decisions?
• Where are the new opportunities?
• Recommendations for overcoming hurdles
• Exploring the latest project finance options – key
  requirements for success
• Communication with stakeholders for maximum return

• Trade routes and preferred freight options for the African rail
  community
• Identifying the weak links in the Cape to Cairo chain
• Ensuring expedited clearance processes for carriers across Africa
• Implementing risk assessments for transports agents,
  suppliers and importers
• Improving border post management systems

• What are the key issues for the Northern Region?
• Interconnectivity – opening up networks and improving
  existing services
• Buying new locomotives? What’s the plan to maintain
  existing and new assets?
• Lessons from Algeria: railway upgrades and the
  implementation of the metro
• Full steam ahead with the construction of the 430km
  Mauritania railway
• Corridors and more corridors – a look at the Trans-Maghreb
  railway

• What are the key concerns for the western region
• Implementation of “The Africa Rail” programme –
  interconnectivity with a double track line
• Economic effects of opening up landlocked countries to cross
  country passenger rail
• Resuscitation Nigerian Railways – what initiatives have been
  put in place?
• How will the Ghana-Burkina Faso rail line project affect
  economic growth

• Overview of the global transport economy and where Africa
  fits in
• Will Africa play catch-up or bypass?
• Impact of Chinese investment on the African transport
  economy – when are we going to pay it back?

• Lessons from the successful America Latina Logistica
  turnaround strategy
• Best practice in infrastructure development in a developing
  nation
• Getting the best value for money in infrastructure development

• What does the African market seem to be lacking?
• How do we cost effectively overcome this?
• Using this international case study as a growth model for the
  development of productivity

You have voted for these topics! Your chosen speakers will
now offer you real-time, spontaneous solutions and
commentary on the issues that keep you awake at night.
Bring your questions to this spontaneous discussion.

• Operational efficiency as a result of enhancements to rail coal
  cars
• Fuel and energy savings through the reduction of
  aerodynamic drag of rail coal cars
• Applications for transfer – is this feasible for the African market?

• Role of new technology in increasing safety of existing
  infrastructure
• Matching technology with operational requirements
• What is the success story so far?

• Security and control - risk reduction
• CCTV, Access control, Intrusion detection
• Decision aid systems
• Evaluating the impact of integrated security solutions

• Progress made to date
• Challenges encountered
• Capital Investment Programme for Passenger Rail
• Strategic Initiatives for 2008/09
• Passenger Rail: the backbone of Public Transport – the Long Term Future!

• Emerging passenger travel demand profiles and implications
  for rail networks
• Looking beyond the technology and implementing a total
  service package for the travelling customer
• What are the technology requirements for African passenger
  operators?

• What’s going on in the passenger rail arena?
• What is South Africa doing to promote passenger rail from
  international airports?
• Re-implementation of passenger rail services: what is required?
• Challenges of passenger rail in high density regions -
  increasing speed and reliability
• Meeting growing urbanisation transport needs

• Advancing African rail safety initiatives - implementing
  effective regulation in stimulating competition
• Effects of regulation on inter-connectivity and rail productivity
• Assessing the reliability, maintainability and safety of African
  trains
• Developing regulation that encourages investment
• Responding to security related risks in the industry