A $1.2 billion agreement to rehabilitate one of Africa’s oldest railway lines has moved a critical mineral export corridor from the realm of Cold War nostalgia to a live commercial reality, with China at the helm of the revival effort.
The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) announced that a tripartite agreement involving Chinese state firms CMOC Group, Zijin Mining, and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) will fund a sweeping rehabilitation of the 1,860-kilometer line connecting Zambia’s copper belt to Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast.
Why TAZARA Matters
The railway was constructed between 1970 and 1975 using an interest-free loan from China — a project born out of Cold War competition for influence in newly independent African states. For decades, TAZARA operated as a vital commercial artery, moving copper from Zambia’s mines to Tanzanian ports.
But decades of underinvestment left the line in a state of chronic decline. Trains ran slowly, schedules became unreliable, and freight volumes shrank as trucking operations filled the gap.
China’s Strategic Interest
Zambia’s copper belt is among the world’s most significant sources of critical minerals needed for the global energy transition — copper, cobalt, and related resources that feed into electric vehicle manufacturing, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced electronics.
Zijin Mining and CMOC Group are both major players in African mining, with significant operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
For China, the project extends its footprint in a critical mineral supply chain at a time when Western governments are racing to reduce their dependence on Chinese-controlled sources.
What the Rehabilitation Involves
The agreement calls for a full reconstruction of tracks, bridges, and stations along the route. Work is expected to begin in mid-2026, with a target of restoring full passenger and freight service within three years.
The total cost of approximately $1.2 billion will be funded through a combination of Chinese government-backed financing and direct investment by the participating Chinese firms.
Source: Africa.com / Reuters / Africa Business