The World Bank is set to release US $600m for a railway project to facilitate trade in East and Central Africa and provide an alternative route to the sea for Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“We are talking about improving infrastructure along the Central Corridor, specifically Lake Tanganyika,” said East Africa Community Secretary General Liberat Mfumukeko.
It will improve the transportation of goods coming from Dar es Salaam by railway to Kigoma, from where “it can be shipped to Bujumbura or Kalemi and Uvira. This project will improve infrastructure in Tanzania, Burundi and DR Congo,” he added.
According to the EAC Secretariat, the new infrastructure project will cut the cost of transporting goods from Dar es Salaam port by 40%.
More than 50 million people living around Lake Tanganyika are expected to benefit from the new project. For instance, 80% of Burundi’s imports come through the Central Corridor from Dar es Salaam.
Source: Asoko Insights
Financing for Development in Africa 