As global powers vie for control over critical mineral trade routes, China plans to spend US$1 billion to refurbish a key railway line connecting Zambia’s copper belt region with the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam under its Belt and Road Initiative, Ednews reports referring to the South China Morning Post
On Wednesday, China’s ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui handed over a proposal to rehabilitate the Tazara railway to Zambian Transport Minister Frank Tayali, saying the US$1 billion investment would be done through a public-private partnership (PPP) over the coming years.
The Tazara rail line, first built in the 1970s with Chinese funding, will be updated through public-private partnership.
The project connecting Zambian copper belt with Dar es Salaam will compete with US- and EU-backed link between resource-rich areas and Angola port
