In recent years, under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the cooperation between China and African countries has been deepening, and the rail transit project, as an important part of the cooperation between the two sides, has made remarkable progress and has become an important engine for promoting Africa's economic development and regional integration. The following is an inventory of key cooperation projects between China and Africa in recent years

Contributing to the economic integration of East Africa: the successful operation of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway

As one of the landmark projects of China-Africa cooperation, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) connects the port city of Mombasa in Kenya with the capital Nairobi with a total length of about 472 kilometers. The Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, built by China Road and Bridge Engineering Corporation (CRBC), was officially opened in 2017 and has significantly improved the efficiency of cargo transportation since its opening, greatly promoting the economic development of Kenya and East Africa.

Cross-border rail connections: Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway

The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway is Africa's first cross-border electrified railway, with a total length of about 750 km, connecting Ethiopia and Djibouti. Since its opening in 2018, the railway, which was built by China Railway and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), has greatly enhanced Ethiopia's foreign trade capacity and opened an efficient channel to international markets for landlocked countries.

Nigerian Railway Modernization: From Lagos to Ibadan

As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria has attracted much attention for its rail transit modernization projects. As an important part of Nigeria's modern railway network, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway is responsible for connecting major cities across the country. The project was undertaken by the China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCECC), and the 156-kilometer-long railway has recently been put into operation, significantly improving regional transportation conditions.

A model of modern urban mobility: the Abuja City Railway

In the field of urban rail transit, China-Africa cooperation has also made important breakthroughs. On May 29, 2024, Abuja City Railway, the first urban rail transit line in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, undertaken by China Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (China Civil Engineering), was officially put into commercial operation after upgrading to use new diesel EMUs made in China. The first phase of the Abuja Metro is the first urban rail transit line in the Nigerian capital. The project consists of two lines, 18 km Lot 1A and 27 km Lot 3, connecting Abuja city center, Capital International Airport, National Railway Acre Line and Kuba Satellite City, with a total length of about 45 km, with a total of 12 stations and 1 depot. In his speech, Nigerian President Tinubu thanked China Civil Engineering for its contribution to the implementation of the first phase of the Abuja Metro Project.

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway: A Testimony of China-Africa Friendship

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) is a symbol of China-Africa friendship. The 1,860-kilometre railway, which connects Tanzania and Zambia, was built with Chinese aid in the 70s of the last century. Over the years, the Tanzania-Zambia Railway has played an important role in the course of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, not only promoting economic exchanges between the two countries, but also setting an example for African railway construction.

Smart Rail ART: China's Smart Rail Enters Africa

At last year's Middle East and Africa Intelligent Transportation Conference, CRRC Times Electric, CRRC Zhixing, North International and Egypt National Railway Industry Company signed a cooperation agreement to plan to produce smart rail ART in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

In this cooperation agreement, the smart rail introduced by Egypt is a new type of green rail transit tool pioneered and independently developed by CRRC Zhuzhou. Smart Rail creatively transforms the "steel rail" of traditional rail transit into a "virtual track", and the train can be guided along the ground dotted line. Integrating the advantages of modern trams and ground public transportation, the vehicle can flexibly allocate train capacity between 3 and 5 trains, and has the characteristics of small infrastructure investment, short construction period, flexible scheduling, low-carbon environmental protection, wisdom and convenience. It subverts people's traditional understanding of urban transportation, and provides an innovative low- and medium-volume rail transit system solution that takes into account both capacity and cost advantages for urban transportation at home and abroad.

The cooperation on these key rail transit projects has not only improved Africa's transportation infrastructure, but also set an example for China-Africa friendship and cooperation. Looking ahead, as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) continues to advance, the two sides will continue to work together in a wider range of areas to promote the implementation of more far-reaching projects and bring more benefits to the Chinese and African people.

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