Angola’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Sandri De Oliveira, delivered a speech at the event commemorating the 45th anniversary of Angola’s independence from Portugal in Dar. Plans to build a trans-Africa railway.

He said the rail corridor will connect the two countries through Zambia, allowing the transshipment of goods from markets in the United States, Asia and Europe. The project will involve the construction of a narrow gauge (1,067 mm) railway between Lobito, Angola and the Zambian border. Then, the line will extend through Zambia to the central town of Kapiri Mposhi.

This is the western terminus of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway built by China in the 1970s.

The ambassador commented: “In order to establish a railway connection with Tanzania, the Angolan government will build a new railway line in Zambia to further connect the 1,860-km Tanzania-Zambia railway.” He added that Angola is counting on “Tanzania’s contribution in this regard. Cooperation".

At present, the Angolan economy is heavily dependent on exports to China. In 2018, Angola’s exports to China exceeded US$25 billion, exceeding the country’s total exports to the rest of the world, mainly oil.

There is almost no trade between Angola and Tanzania. In 2015, Tanzania’s exports to Angola were less than US$5 million, and the value of Angola’s exports to Tanzania was less than US$500,000.

Part of the reason for the lack of commercial connections is the difficulty of land transportation, especially in Zambia, during the rainy season. This railway will provide the two countries with access to each other's markets and improve contacts with global buyers.

Angola’s per capita income is about three times that of Tanzania and more than twice that of Zambia, and it may take on most of the work of organizing this link. Editor/Huang Lijun