Zambia and Tanzania Strengthen Copper Export Routes with Chinese Deal

China, Zambia, and Tanzania have formalized a $1.4 billion agreement to modernize the Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara), a 1,860-kilometre line built in the 1970s with Chinese assistance under Mao Zedong. The project will be led by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) under a 30-year concession.

The initial three years will prioritize reconstruction, track upgrades, enhanced safety measures, and restoration works, followed by 27 years of full operations, including rolling stock procurement and maintenance. Planned investments include 32 new locomotives, about 762 wagons, passenger coaches, modern maintenance workshops, and upgraded signalling and communication systems, alongside training programs for staff.

This initiative will strengthen copper exports from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo by providing a critical alternative to South Africa’s congested ports and border crossings. It also positions the Tazara line as a direct competitor to the U.S. and EU-backed Lobito Corridor, a transport project linking the Copperbelt to Angola’s Atlantic port.