East African railway MOU signed

Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at developing a cross border railway network.

The railway network would start in Isaka, Tanzania and run to Kigali. From here it would cross into Rwand, with major stations at Keza and Gitega, The final stop would be in Musongati, Burundi.

The MoU was signed at the closure of the five-day 6th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Transport, Communications and Meteorology (TCM), in Arusha, Tanzania.

The MOU was signed by Linda Bihire, Rwanda's Minister of Infrastructure, Shukuru Jumanne Kawambwa, Tanzania's Minister of Infrastructure, and Philippe Njoni, Burundi's Minister of Infrastructure.

Earlier this year Phillip Wambugu, the East African Community (EAC) director for Planning and Infrastructure has announced plans to build 15 new railways connecting seven countries in the region - Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burundi and Rwanda.

The EAC estimates it will require at least US$ 180 million to restore the region's railway network to the levels it operated at 20 years ago.

The EAC is the regional intergovernmental organisation of the Republics of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and the Republics of Burundi and Rwanda.