East Africa's Rail Connections Set to Improve

China, Tanzania, and Zambia have signed an agreement to enhance the Tanzania-Zambia railway network, aiming to improve rail-sea transportation in East Africa. President Xi Jinping emphasized the partnership during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The World Bank has already approved $270 million for better connectivity between Tanzania and Zambia.

China, Tanzania, and Zambia have inked an agreement to bolster the rail-sea intermodal transportation network in East Africa. The memorandum of understanding for the Tanzania-Zambia railway project was signed during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, witnessed by Chinese President Xi Jinping alongside Tanzanian and Zambian presidents, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

President Xi underscored the summit as a pivotal moment for advancing the Tanzania-Zambia railway project. 'China is eager to utilize this summit as a catalyst for new progress in the activation of the Tanzania-Zambia railway and to improve the rail-sea intermodal transport network in East Africa,' Xi stated, according to state media. He also highlighted plans to establish Tanzania as a demonstration zone for deepening high-quality China-Africa Belt and Road cooperation.

Furthermore, the World Bank earlier this year approved $270 million in financing to enhance connectivity between Tanzania and Zambia, aiming to boost regional trade. The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) services the Dar es Salaam corridor, a crucial route for copper exports from the central African Copperbelt, offering an alternative to circumvent logistics bottlenecks in South Africa.

(With inputs from agencies.)