Tanzania-Burundi SGR: $2.15B Rail Project Overview

Introduction

Construction has commenced on a $2.15 billion cross-border standard gauge railway connecting Uvinza, Tanzania, to Musongati, Burundi. The project, featuring a fully electrified 1,435mm international standard gauge line, is expected to be completed by 2030 and will enhance East African trade and connectivity.

Project Overview

The 240km railway, the first of its kind in the region, will serve both passenger and freight transport. Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa laid the foundation stone for the project. The railway aims to significantly reduce travel times, allowing passengers to travel from Musongati to Dar es Salaam in a single day. Currently, the cargo truck journey from Dar es Salaam to Bujumbura takes 96 hours, but the railway is expected to reduce this to 20 hours.

Strategic Importance

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye emphasized the railway’s importance for transporting minerals. He also outlined plans to extend the railway to Kindu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and eventually to the Atlantic coast of West Africa, envisioning a pan-African corridor.

Contract and Scope

In January, a consortium led by China Railway Engineering Design and Consulting Group signed a contract with Tanzania Railways Corporation for sections 7 and 8 of the SGR. Section 7 will connect Uvinza to Malagarasi in Tanzania, and section 8 will link Malagarasi to Musongati in Burundi.

Conclusion

The cross-border railway project between Tanzania and Burundi, with an estimated cost of $2.15 billion, is designed to improve regional transport and trade. The railway will have a standard gauge of 1,435mm and is scheduled for completion by 2030.

Company Summary

China Railway Engineering Design and Consulting Group: Led a consortium that signed a contract with Tanzania Railways Corporation.

Tanzania Railways Corporation: Signed a contract with a consortium led by China Railway Engineering Design and Consulting Group.