DAR ES SALAAM, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China, Zambia and Tanzania have reaffirmed their commitment to revitalizing the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) at a gala dinner held in the port city of Dar es Salaam to mark the railway's 50th anniversary of commercial operation.
Speaking at Tuesday's event, Tanzania's Minister for Transport Makame Mbarawa described the railway as one of Africa's greatest development achievements, born out of extraordinary vision, unwavering solidarity and enduring friendship among nations.
He conveyed greetings from Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, reiterating the government's commitment to strengthening regional connectivity and ensuring the railway remains a strategic pillar for economic transformation and shared prosperity.
Zambian Deputy High Commissioner to Tanzania Anthony Bwalya said that the railway played a critical role in securing Zambia's economic independence during the liberation era by providing access to international markets through the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam.
Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian noted that China dispatched over 56,000 engineering and technical personnel who worked shoulder to shoulder with their Tanzanian and Zambian counterparts, adding that undeterred by danger, hardship, or sacrifice, they built this railway together.
She also said that over the past 50 years, the Chinese government has continuously provided technical assistance and training for management and technical personnel in both Zambia and Tanzania. Therefore, TAZARA is an everlasting monument to a friendship forged in sacrifice and a journey of companionship that will endure forever.
TAZARA Managing Director Bruno Ching'andu said the anniversary marked both celebration and renewal, emphasizing ongoing efforts to modernize the railway through a strategic partnership with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.
The railway, spanning from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, has for five decades facilitated trade, supported livelihoods and symbolized enduring trilateral cooperation among Tanzania, Zambia and China, he noted. ■