Tanzania has awarded contracts to build new railway lines worth about $9 billion (R109bn) to Chinese firms, its transport minister said, expanding Beijing’s presence in East Africa’s second-biggest economy. Transport Minister Samuel Sitta told parliament on Saturday a Chinese consortium had been awarded a contract to build a 2 561km standard gauge railway connecting Dar es Salaam port to land-locked neighbours. “A consortium of Chinese railway companies led by China Railway Materials has been picked to help us build the railway line,” he said. The consortium would provide 10 percent of the funding for the project while financial adviser Rothschild is finalising procedures for financing of the project through banks. The minister said construction of the railway line was expected to start this month. – Reuters
