The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) will
seek Chinese assistance in the construction of a railway linking
the Great Lakes region, Times of Zambia reported on
Tuesday.
It quoted COMESA assistant secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya as
saying in Lusaka that the Chinese side would likely be considered
to ask for help in the project because of the good work they have
done on the rehabilitation of the Lobito line in Angola.
The railway of the Great Lake region has stalled due to
technical reasons. Experts will meet next month for preliminary
discussions on how the project would be restructured, Ngwenya
said.
"Discussions are expected to be held next month to revive the
project," he said, adding that the project is very important to the
enhancement of trade in the COMESA region.
Ngwenya said it will be ideal for China to rehabilitate the
Benguela railway.
The Benguela line would be the quickest transport route for
Zambia which relies on the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam for the
delivery of goods.
(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2006)
