Tanzania and Zambia have announced plans to revamp the railway line that connects the two countries (TAZARA) as part of their measures to open up new business opportunities along the routes that connect the two countries.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Zambian counterpart Hakainde Hichilema say the upgrade of the bi-national railway linking the Southern Africa Regional transport network to Eastern Africa’s seaport of Dar es Salaam to a standard gauge railway (SGR) will be through partnership with the private sector and development partners.
TAZARA was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan from China. Commercial operations began in July 1976, covering 1,860 kilometers from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.
The two leaders have also agreed to work closely in promoting trade and investment by reviving and renovating key joint post-independence infrastructure projects that were built to link the two nations, including the Tanzania-Zambia Crude Oil Pipeline (TAZAMA).
See Also: