China, Tanzania, and Zambia Forge Agreement to Revitalize Key Railway Infrastructure
On Wednesday, China, Tanzania, and Zambia formalized an initial agreement aimed at rehabilitating a vital railway system that has been in operation for several decades. According to reports from Chinese state media, President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding concerning the refurbishment of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway, measuring 1,860 kilometers (1,156 miles). This event took place during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, where the leaders of Tanzania and Zambia were present.
Constructed between 1970 and 1975 with the support of an interest-free loan from China, the TAZARA railway was designed to create a cargo route that facilitates the transport of copper and cobalt from Zambia to the ports along the Tanzanian coastline, circumventing the historical challenges posed by South Africa and the former Rhodesia. The railway commenced commercial operations in 1976 and was met with skepticism by some Western delegates at the time, who referred to it as the “bamboo railway.” Remarkably, the project required the construction of numerous tunnels and bridges, which involved the labor of tens of thousands of Chinese and African workers.
President Xi Jinping emphasized the significance of this summit as an opportunity to revitalize the Tanzania-Zambia railway. He expressed China’s commitment to enhancing the rail-sea intermodal transport network within East Africa and articulated a vision for Tanzania to serve as a model for advancing quality cooperation under the China-Africa Belt and Road Initiative.
In a related development, the World Bank recently allocated $270 million to improve connectivity between Tanzania and Zambia, aiming to boost regional trade further. In February of this year, China proposed a substantial investment of $1 billion to support the rehabilitation of the railway through a public-private partnership model.
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