Private investment in Rwandan railway called for

15 March 2010

Private investment may be needed for to improve rail infrastructure in Rwanda.

This was the advice of Vincent Karega, minister of infrastructure, who said that railway network partners in the East African Community (EAC) are looking for private investment.

He told The New Times: "We shall continue to mobilise both private capital and donor funding through multilateral funding agencies."

A railway project for Tanzania, Burundi and Kigali in Rwanda is in discussion, but the organisers are looking to recruit an international firm to manage the scheme, Mr Karega continued.

President of Tanzania and chair of the EAC summit of heads of state Jakaya Kilwete recently said that private sector participation was vital.

And more than $20 billion (£13 billion) would be needed in the upgrade of the network that already runs between the regions, he claimed.

On March 11th and 12th, the EAC Secretariat, the World Bank and the African Development Bank hosted a forum to examine how the railway system could be improved.

Category: Transport