Tanzania-Zambia Railway Revives: The Iron Artery of China-Africa Friendship Re-sets Course

Recently, the "Friendship Road" - the Tanzanias Zambia Railway (TAZARA) - has once again become the focus of the international community. This railway, built with Chinese assistance and spanning a total length of 1860.5 kilometers, has resumed its full-scale upgrading project after operating for nearly half a century, marking a new stage of high-quality development in the joint "Belt and Road Initiative" between China and Africa.

Echoes of History: A Milestone in China-Africa Cooperation

In 1970, under the leadership of. Chairman Mao，te former president of Tanzania, Nyerere, and the former president of Zambia, Kaunda， Over 50,000 Chinese engineering technicians crossed the ocean and worked side by side with the people of Tanzania and Zambia. With the belief of "opening a free passage for African brothers", they overcame numerous challenges such as malaria and terrain, and completed this major transportation artery in East Africa in 1976. As one of the largest Chinese overseas aid projects to date, the Tanzania-Zambia Railway not only broke through the colonial blockade in southern Africa at that time, but was also hailed as the "Road of Freedom" and the "Road of Friendship", becoming an eternal monument of South-South cooperation.

Challenges of the Times: New Missions for an Old Railway
With regional economic development, the tracks, locomotives, and signaling systems built in the 1970s can no longer meet current demands. Frank Tayali, Zambia’s Minister of Transport, pointed out: "The railway's annual capacity once reached 2 million tons, but now it is less than 500,000 tons. However, Zambia’s annual copper exports exceed 800,000 tons, forcing a large portion of mineral resources to rely on high-cost road transportation." Meanwhile, challenges such as difficulties in transporting agricultural products and low passenger transport efficiency along the route have constrained the economic integration of Tanzania and Zambia.

Upgrading Begins: A Green and Intelligent Future
The upgrade plan is spearheaded by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). China will introduce new energy locomotives, intelligent dispatching systems, and low-carbon building materials. The first phase of the project will involve replacing 320 kilometers of aging tracks and constructing a double-track section from Mlamba to Makambako. Tanzania’s Ministry of Transport revealed that after the renovation, the railway’s annual capacity is expected to increase to 5 million tons, cargo transport time will be shortened by two-thirds, and cross-border logistics costs will be reduced by over 15%.

A Lifeline for Livelihoods: From a ‘Transport Line’ to an ‘Economic Belt’
The railway upgrade is not just about hardware improvements—it will also drive comprehensive development along the route. In Nakonde, a border city in Zambia, a newly built logistics park has attracted 12 agricultural enterprises. Aisha, manager of a local cashew processing factory, said: "In the past, it took five days to transport products to the Port of Dar es Salaam. In the future, direct railway transport will take only 30 hours." Additionally, the China-aided TAZARA Technical School will expand, with plans to train 2,000 local railway technicians over the next three years.

Regional Win-Win: Activating Africa’s Development Corridor
As a key link in the Central Corridor of Africa, the upgraded Tanzania-Zambia Railway will connect with the railway networks of countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi. African Union Infrastructure Commissioner Ramadan praised: "Once revitalized, this railway will become a pioneering project in implementing the ‘Agenda 2063’." Data shows that the project is expected to create over 30,000 local jobs and drive an average annual GDP growth of 0.8% to 1.2% in Tanzania and Zambia.

Conclusion: The Steel Artery, Ever Beating
From its first whistle in 1976 to today’s quality upgrades, the Tanzania-Zambia Railway has witnessed the deepening of the China-Africa community with a shared future. Just as rusty tracks will be replaced with new materials, the spirit of friendship and cooperation remains as solid and enduring as the rails themselves. Along this track that spans mountains and seas, new stories are unfolding with the rhythm of the wheels, heading toward a tomorrow of shared development.