Tanzania and Burundi have officially broken ground on a landmark railway project that will link Uvinza in western Tanzania to Musongati in eastern Burundi, marking the first cross-border standard gauge railway (SGR) in East Africa.
The project, estimated at over $2.15 billion, was launched on August 16 in Musongati, where Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye presided over the ceremony. The railway will stretch 240 kilometers and is expected to be completed within five years.
Prime Minister Majaliwa highlighted the transformative potential of the project, noting that travel and cargo times will be drastically reduced. “Today, goods from Dar es Salaam take nearly four days to reach Bujumbura. With this railway, the journey will take less than a day,” he said.
President Ndayishimiye described the railway as a “dream fulfilled” for Burundi, especially for its mining sector. He pointed out that the country’s vast nickel reserves and other minerals have long attracted investors, but transport challenges remained a barrier. “This project gives us a direct solution,” he said, while also envisioning future extensions of the railway toward the Democratic Republic of Congo and eventually West Africa.
The line will be built with international standard gauge (1,435 mm) and full electrification. China Railway Group Limited, leading a consortium of contractors, confirmed the railway is designed to meet global standards and should be operational by 2030.
Analysts view the Uvinza–Musongati railway as more than just infrastructure; it is a strategic link that promises to deepen economic integration in East Africa, boost trade corridors to the Indian Ocean, and unlock investment opportunities across the region.