Zambia, Angola to sign road, railway construction MoU

Zambia and Angola will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) where a railway system will be built to directly connect the two countries’ mining towns.

This came to light when Angolan Minister of Transport and Communications Augusto da Silva Tomás held bilateral talks with his Zambian counterpart Christopher Yaluma at his office yesterday.

Mr. Tomas da Silva, who was in the country to represent Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, said his country was committed to ensuring a railway line is built soon in order to enhance trade between the two countries.

He disclosed that the two countries will also sign an MoU to create a direct link by constructing a road from Shangombo to Ruvungu in Angola.

He said once the project is in place, it will not only benefit the residents of the two towns but their countries as a whole.

And Zambian Transport and Communications Minister Christopher Yaluma said a railway would be the shortest link between Zambia and Angola.

Mr. Yaluma said the railway and road projects were key projects which need to be completed in the shortest possible time.

He said Angola was rich in oil and hence Zambia can tap this commodity from that country at a cheaper and faster rate than it was doing now.

He said there was need to create self reliance in the region because this was the only way to accelerate Africa’s development.

The Angolan Transport and Communications Minister arrived in the country yesterday to analyse matters related to the reinforcement of bilateral co-operation, mainly in the field of transport and communications.

He flew back to Angola the same day after meeting President Michael Sata and holding bilateral talks with his Zambian counterpart.