China to build Zambia – Malawi rail link

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The Zambian and Chinese governments have agreed plans to build a railway that will link Malawi and neighbours Zambia.

The contract to construct the rail link between central Zambia and the Malawian border was signed Tuesday in the Zambian capital Lusaka by Zambian minister of transport and communications Mr Brian Mushimba and representatives of China Railway Construction Corporation.

railThe 389km line will run east from a junction with the 1067mm-gauge Lusaka – Mpika – Nakonde line at Serenje to Petauke and Chipata in Zambia where it will meet the existing line to Lilongwe in Malawi and the port of Nacala in Mozambique.

The rail link will cost US$US2.3bn and Zambia hopes it will reduce the distance by rail from Kapiri M’poshi in Zambia to the Indian Ocean to 1500km.