Burundi’s president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, has officially laid the foundation stone for the country’s first railway, a 282-kilometre line that will connect the landlocked nation to Tanzania’s strategic Port of Dar es Salaam. The ceremony in Musongati, a town in Rutana Province near the Tanzanian border, was attended by Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.

The railway, part of the Central Corridor trade route, is expected to transform regional transport, reduce delays, and provide landlocked Burundi with more efficient access to international markets. Officials say the line will eventually extend to Uvira and Kindu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, opening access to millions of tons of nickel, iron, and platinum reserves.

President Ndayishimiye described the project as “the profound beginning of a robust and sustainable development for the entire nation.” Burundi’s prime minister noted that the line could save the cash-strapped country an estimated $36 million a month in import and export transport costs.

The $2.1 billion project is financed by the African Development Bank and Tanzania’s CRDB Bank, with construction managed by two Chinese firms. Officials anticipate the railway will take roughly six years to complete.

Once operational, the infrastructure is expected to bolster Burundi’s export capacity, support regional trade integration, and unlock the country’s long-dormant mineral potential.