Half a century of TAZARA - Tanzania Zambia Railway

On Wednesday, a ceremony was held in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of commercial operations of the Tanzania Zambia Railway (TAZARA), built with Chinese assistance in the 1970s. When a railway that connected Tanzania and Zambia celebrates its half century, the date reminds us not only of the steel track but also of how one project can change the destiny of an entire continent.

TAZARA, built by Chinese engineers in the 1970s, during the era of the struggle for independence, became a symbol of liberation and solidarity. Today, fifty years later, it is once again becoming a symbol – but of transformation. In the era of the African Continental Free Trade Area, TAZARA is needed not just as a memory of the past, but as a modern logistics hub capable of connecting the economies of East and Southern Africa. The modernisation, which the parties are discussing, turns this old line into a bridge to a future where regional integration becomes the main driving force.

The ceremony, held under the theme "TAZARA@50: From Liberation to Transformation," was the culmination of a series of celebratory events held in Zambia and Tanzania over a month. Built with Chinese assistance in the 1970s, TAZARA began commercial operations in 1976 and remains an important transport corridor for regional trade and connectivity in Africa. As China, Tanzania and Zambia push forward with plans to upgrade the railway, TAZARA Managing Director Bruno Chingandu says the modernisation project will strengthen regional transport links.

"TAZARA plays a very important role in facilitating the African Free Trade Agreement. This agreement will only be successful if transport infrastructure is improved, and TAZARA will provide that, especially after the concessioning and after the rehabilitation of the line. We see TAZARA playing a major role in facilitating the African Free Trade Agreement," he said.

The 1,860 kilometre TAZARA was built between 1970 and 1975 with financial and technical support from China, which provided an interest free loan and sent thousands of specialists to build it in the difficult conditions of the East African Rift. The railway became China's first major infrastructure aid project in Africa and for decades provided Zambia with access to the sea, independent of South African and Mozambican ports.

However, over the years, wear and tear on track and rolling stock has reduced capacity, and the parties are now discussing a concession agreement with a private operator and rehabilitation of the line. The modernisation is expected to increase speed and freight volumes, which is critical for the development of Africa's interior. Tanzania and Zambia have already expressed their readiness to support TAZARA as part of the trans African network, and China has confirmed its intention to participate in upgrading the line under the Belt and Road Initiative.

As CCTV+ reports, the half century anniversary of TAZARA has become not just a celebration but a starting point for a new phase of cooperation, where Chinese experience and African ambitions once again meet on steel tracks to connect the continent's past and future.