Zambia, China and Tanzania have officially signed agreements for the TAZARA Revitalisation Project, bringing to a close more than eighteen months of negotiations. The landmark deal, valued at 1.4 billion United States dollars, includes an initial investment of $1.1 billion and $238 million in re-investments.
According to a statement by Ministry of Transport and Logistics Principal Public Relations Officer Ernest Chanda, the project will cover the rehabilitation of the railway track from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi. It will also modernize major workshops, maintain the existing line, and deliver new rolling stock that includes 34 locomotives, 16 passenger coaches, and 760 wagons.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Zambia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali stressed that the revitalisation of TAZARA goes beyond restoring a railway line. He described it as an effort to reignite regional integration, economic growth, and shared prosperity. Tayali said the project will provide a vital link for farmers, traders, and industries by connecting them to domestic and international markets.
“It also opens up opportunities for young people, builds capacity in TAZARA and strengthens the bonds of friendship among nations,” he said.
Tanzania’s Minister of Transport, Makame Mbarawa, noted that the initiative will boost the economies of both countries while creating employment opportunities. He pointed out that improved railway services will ease the movement of goods, reduce transport costs, and make regional trade more efficient.
China Railways Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) Chairman Dai Hegen expressed the company’s commitment to the revitalisation. He highlighted CRCC’s successful projects in Africa, including the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway and the TAZARA Memorial Park. CRCC is not new to TAZARA, as the company originally built the line between 1970 and 1976.
The revitalisation project is expected to transform TAZARA into a modern and reliable transport corridor, strengthening trade links between southern and eastern Africa while reaffirming long-standing cooperation among Zambia, Tanzania, and China.