Tanzania Railways Corporation has signed a $2.154 billion contract to build the 282 km Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Uwenza to Musongati.
The agreement was signed by the governments of Tanzania and Burundi and a Chinese entity, while the funds will be provided by the African Development Bank.
The project, expected to be completed in six years, will connect Dar es Salaam’s port to Burundi’s nickel mines.
China Railway Engineering, Dar es Salaam China Railway Engineering Design Consultancy Group Co., Ltd. has won the contract from Tanzania Railways Corporation.
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Improving services at Dar es Salaam port and building a modern railway will boost investment not only in Tanzania and Burundi but throughout the region. These countries have achieved a level of trust that shows that when African countries support each other, they can succeed.
This is the continuation of the second phase of the Standard Gauge Railway project, which has been under construction since the signing of the contract for the Tabora-Kigoma section in December 2022.
Tanzania’s Minister of Transport, Professor Makame, said the project is in line with the African Union Agenda 2026, which aims to connect African countries through modern railways.
Tanzania and Burundi signed a cooperation agreement on the construction of the Uwinza-Musongati railway on January 28, 2022. The Tanzania Railways Company has been tasked with finding a contractor and overseeing the project on behalf of both countries.
The East African Community is considering building a 6,220 km long standard gauge railway connecting eight countries. The decision was announced at the 19th East African Community Ministerial Conference on Transport, Communications and Climate Change in Arusha.
