DRC - Tanzania - Burundi Launch Regional Rail Link

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania- August 2025; The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Tanzania have launched a transformative regional rail link that promises to redefine trade and connectivity across Central and East Africa. The new block train operating on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) now connects Dar es Salaam to Burundi and the DRC via Kindu, marking a milestone aligned with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Representing President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Communication Channels and Access, Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, joined Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa at the official launch ceremony in Dar es Salaam.

A Game-Changer for Regional Trade

The new SGR route positions the DRC, with over 100 million consumers, as a central market in the region and a catalyst for interstate commerce. For Burundi, the link offers a breakthrough: access to steady supplies of fuel and essential goods, reinforcing economic stability and food security through the elimination of seasonal shortages.

This tripartite rail integration promises:

• Faster movement of goods

• Lower logistics costs

• Stronger regional supply chains

• Enhanced market access for landlocked countries

As part of the launch, Tanzania Railway Corporation officially handed over rehabilitated freight wagons, financed by the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (ASTUCE), where the DRC is a key member state.