Tanzania and Burundi have entered into an agreement with two Chinese companies to construct a railway line to transport metals, including nickel, to the port city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
The $2.15bn project will be developed by China Railway Engineering Group and China Railway Engineering Design and Consulting Group, with financing support from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
In 2022 Tanzania signed an initial multimillion-dollar deal with neighboring Burundi to build a Standard Gauge Railway line that will link the landlocked Burundi to the Indian Ocean and Tanzania.
The new 282km standard gauge Burundi-Tanzania rail link is expected to transport three million metric tonnes of minerals annually, with a primary focus on bolstering trade between Tanzania and Burundi.
The project is expected to be completed in 72 months including a 12-month review period. It is part of infrastructure developments in the region that will connect key locations and enhance the transportation of mining and agricultural products across Eastern and Central Africa.
Tanzania’s Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa was quoted as saying: “The signing of this contract is the coming into fruition of a bilateral agreement between the governments of Tanzania and Burundi.”
The overall project will feature a single electrified standard gauge track divided into three sections: Tabora–Kigoma (411km) and Uvinza–Malagarasi (156km) in Tanzania, and Malagarasi–Musongati (84km) in Burundi.
Source: Railway Technology, January 31, 2025. https://www.railway-technology.com/news/tanzania-burundi-railway-construction-china/
China Environment News 