DEVELOPMENT
Burundi and Tanzania Launch Construction of Cross-Border Railway
Burundi and Tanzania launch Uvinza–Musongati railway project, a $2.15bn, 282 km line to boost trade, integration, and mineral exports across East Africa.
August 17, 2025 at 12:43:38 PM
May 15, 2026 at 7:03:26 PM
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Burundi and Tanzania have begun construction of the Uvinza–Musongati railway, a cross-border line seen as a major boost to regional trade and integration in East and Southern Africa.
The project was officially launched on 16 August 2025 at Rubara Hill in Burundi’s Burunga province by President Évariste Ndayishimiye, alongside Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, who represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The ceremony marked the laying of the foundation stone for the long-anticipated line, which will connect the Tanzanian town of Uvinza to Musongati in Burundi.
Strategic Importance for the Region
The railway forms part of a wider East African Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network. Only weeks earlier, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) inaugurated a block train service linking Dar es Salaam with the Congo, underscoring the momentum for regional infrastructure development.
President Ndayishimiye hailed the project as a “major lever” for Burundi’s long-term national development plans.
“Thank you for your support. This path will be a major lever for the realization of the Vision 2040–2060,” he said, referring to Burundi’s long-term economic strategy.
Prime Minister Majaliwa stated that the railway would be completed within the agreed-upon timeline, aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 for continental development. He emphasised that the new line will not only connect Burundi and Tanzania, but also open wider access to Southern African Development Community (SADC) markets, given the DRC’s strategic position.
Key Numbers – Uvinza–Musongati Railway
Length: 282 km (240 km of main track + 42 km of passing loops
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