On 1 July 2026, the 26th Africa Regional Assembly (ARA) was held in person at the UIC HQ and online, bringing together members from the continent.
The assembly was opened by Mohamed Rabie Khlie, Chair of the Africa Region, Director General of the Moroccan National Railways (ONCF), who highlighted the importance of cooperation among African rail networks to address challenges in mobility, connectivity, the energy transition, and sustainable development. He called on members to deepen their discussions, share their expertise, and promote innovative solutions to make rail a driver of economic and social transformation in Africa.
François Davenne, UIC Director General and interim Coordinator of the Africa Region, then welcomed all of the participants, underlining that the region’s work implicates various railway domains and includes cooperation with many different stakeholder, including railway operators, international and regional organisations, and development banks.
The assembly summarised the work undertaken between January and July and looked into the annual programme for the rest of the year, focusing among other things on:
- Safety, Security, Rolling Stock, Women in Rail, and Infrastructure Narrow Gauge Taskforces
- Regular Africa Railway Thursday webinars on freight, R&I, passenger transport, sustainability and other topics
- Training activities
- Launch of Africa Regional Competence Hub (RCH) in the fields of research, innovation, and the development of talent and expertise
Finally, an in-person event for the Africa region in 2026 titled “Investment and Financing Solutions for Africa’s Railway Future” was highlighted. It will be held on 14-15 October 2026 in Rabat, Morocco.
For further information, please see: https://uic.org/events/investment-and-financing-solutions-for-africa-s-railway-future
