East Africa to get regional railway

10 December 2009

Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi are to be linked by a railway in a project sponsored by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

Speaking at a press conference in Kigali, Burundi's minister for public works and equipment Anatole Kanyenkiko was quoted by the New Times as saying studies presented in Tunis had convinced investors of the viability of the project.

"The project is bankable, economically and financially feasible. This project is very important for our countries and our region."

Rwanda is coordinating construction, which has an estimated completion date of 2014.

It was observed that a bulk of the region's importing and exporting activities should shift from Mombasa port to Dar es Salaam as travel to Kigali from there would take one day as opposed to the current six.

This project will strengthen trading ties in what by then could be a common economic area.

The East African Community, which includes the three countries plus Kenya and Uganda, recently signed a common market protocol that should come into force in July 2010 when it is ratified.

Category: Transport