http://www.africarail.org/img/logo_fupin.gif

AfricaRail is a project to link the railway systems of Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin and Togo. All these systems are 1000 mm gauge.

A future stage would link Mali, Nigeria and Ghana which are of 1000 mm, 1067 mm changing to 1435 mm and 1067 mm respectively.

http://www.africarail.org/img/detail.jpg http://www.africarail.org/img/projet.jpg

Estimated cost : 2 billions US $ (building 2,000 Km lines).

Target and objectives :
- Opening up the landlocked countries to the transport of passengers, goods and equipments from inside the Burkina Faso-Niger area to the bordering regions such as South-East Mali and Nord-West Nigeria.

- Enabling a better exploitation of agricultural and mining resources from the inside areas.

- Providing a train service between the ports of Lome and Cotonou.

http://www.africarail.org/

Great Find VegasM, this is perfect for opening up trade even more between many West African nations. :banana2:

Heared about this, too! Thanks for putting it here.

Nice project.

Copperbelt to get new Railway line
Posted on August 12th, 2008



Government is setting up a railway line from neighboring Angola via Mwinilunga district to Chingola on the Copperbelt Province.

North-western Province Minister Kenneth Chipungu who confirmed the development in Solwezi today said the move seeks to ease the pressure on the road network.

Mr. Chipungu observed that the roads were being damaged due to heavy equipment ferried by trucks.

The minister said the railway will facilitate the transportation of copper by rail to Lobito bay in Angola.

He said government through the Ministry of Communications and Transport is negotiating with a possible financier of the project.

Mr. Chipungu said it is estimated that the project would be completed before the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Lumwana Mine in Solwezi in the North-western Province is set to be commissioned on September 5, this year, provincial minister Kenneth Chipungu has confirmed.

Mr. Chipungu said that the commissioning of the mine was delayed due to the inferno which gutted part of the machinery and some buildings at the mining site.

He has since commended Lumwana management for investing in North-western Province in particular and Zambia as a whole, as such enormous investment would greatly contribute to national development.

Mr. Chipungu said Lumwana Mine has created over 4,000 jobs for the local community as well as a few foreign technocrats who are helping Zambia achieve technological and skill transfer using modern mining techniques.

nice, they really needed this.