China, Tanzania, and Zambia have signed an initial agreement to rehabilitate the historic Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway, a critical infrastructure project aimed at enhancing rail-sea transportation in resource-rich East Africa. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Beijing during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Tanzanian and Zambian presidents witnessing the event, according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.
The 1,860-kilometer TAZARA railway, also known as the “Uhuru Railway,” was originally built between 1970 and 1975 with an interest-free loan from China. The railway provides a vital cargo route from Zambia’s copper and cobalt mines to the Tanzanian coast, offering an alternative to routes through South Africa and the former state of Rhodesia. The project involved the construction of numerous tunnels and bridges, employing tens of thousands of Chinese and African workers.
President Xi emphasized China’s commitment to revitalizing the railway, aiming to improve the rail-sea intermodal transport network in East Africa. He noted that this initiative is part of broader efforts to deepen high-quality China-Africa Belt and Road cooperation, with Tanzania poised to become a key demonstration zone for these efforts.
This rehabilitation project aligns with earlier financial support from the World Bank, which approved $270 million earlier this year to enhance connectivity between Tanzania and Zambia, thereby boosting regional trade. Additionally, in February, China proposed a $1 billion investment to refurbish the TAZARA railway through a public-private partnership model.
The modernization of this decades-old railway is expected to significantly bolster trade and economic integration in East Africa, reinforcing the region’s position in global trade networks.
- Tags: Bilateral Agreement, china, Tanzania, Zambia
