Examine two causes of the high cost of transporting goods between African countries

Edexcel A-Level Economics Paper 1 June 2023 Extract

With reference to Extract A, examine two causes of the high cost of transporting goods between African countries. (8 marks)

One cause of the high transportation costs might be poor infrastructure. Poor infrastructure such as transport links means that it takes longer to transport things, which means that it is likely to take up more time from staff, and therefore costs more. The extract mentions that 'ports are small and slow'.

Secondly, the extract mentions that a lack of information is also contributing to transport problems. Extract A, line 30 mentions that 'the key problem is a lack of information'. It means that firms are unable to buy space on trains as and when they need it, and have to pay for long-term contracts.

However, the cost of transporting goods can be reduced with investment. For example, Chinese built railways are currently being under-used but as firms or the government invest in storage yards and other facilities, this can make transport easier and cheaper around African countries.

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