Railway construction project: Malagarzi-Musongati-Gitega
Burundi is a landlocked country in East Africa surrounded by Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Currently, the only means of importing or exporting goods to or from the Port of Dar es Salaam, which is considered the closest, is by road, over 1600km away.
The proposed railway line spans approximately 126 km, passing through three provinces (Makamba, Rutana, and Gitega) and eight communes (Kayogoro, Bukemba, Giharo, Rutana, Musongati, Itaba, Makebuko, and Gitega) in Burundi. The goal of this railway line is to improve transportation infrastructure, promote regional economic integration, and facilitate the development of mining, industrial, and agricultural areas in Burundi and Tanzania.
The estimated cost of the project is $1442.7 million, or $11.45 million per kilometre. It is anticipated that this will be an electrified Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line, and a multimodal bridge will be constructed on the border between Burundi and Tanzania.
The environmental and social impact study of the Malagarazi-Musongati-Gitega railway construction project in Burundi – also known as the: Multinational – Tanzania / Burundi / DR Congo joint standard gauge railway project phase I (Tanzania / Burundi Section) – P-Z1-DC0-041 – has been published and is available on the African Development Bank’s website.
