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Picture: 123RF/HMANNET
Picture: 123RF/HMANNET

Dar es Salaam — Tanzania and Burundi have signed an agreement with two Chinese firms to build a railway between the two African countries for transporting metals, including battery mineral nickel, to the port city of Dar es Salaam.

The $2.15bn joint venture will be constructed by China Railway Engineering Group and China Railway Engineering Design and Consulting Group, Tanzania transport minister Makame Mbarawa said during the signing ceremony on Wednesday.

It will be financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Tanzania finance minister Mwigulu Nchemba said.

The two nations expect the 282km standard gauge line to transport 3-million tonnes of minerals annually, Tanzania’s finance ministry said last year.

In the past decade China has funded infrastructure projects, such as railways, power plants and ports, and across Africa through its Belt and Road Initiative.

Reuters

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