Currently, NRZ trains operate to Machipanda station in Mozambique, while CFM trains reach the town of Mutare. This partnership will allow CFM to manage cargo transportation to the Port of Beira, while NRZ will coordinate CFM’s shipments to other destinations.
As part of growing bilateral cooperation, Mozambique and Zimbabwe are committed to the rehabilitation of the Mutare-Machipanda railway line, a project discussed at meetings held in January this year with the participation of the two countries’ transport ministers, Felix Mhona of Zimbabwe and his Mozambican counterpart.
The ongoing rehabilitation of this railway line is just the first step in a comprehensive plan to extend it to the capital, Harare. “The ongoing rehabilitation of this railway line is the first stage of a comprehensive plan that will culminate in the conclusion of an effective operational agreement,” explained NRZ spokesman Andrew Kunambura in a statement shared with DE.
This strategic agreement aims not only to improve delivery times, but also to optimize the transport of essential products. “This corridor is crucial for Zimbabwe, as it transports numerous goods for export, as well as essential imports such as fuel, gas and cereals,” added Kunambura.
The governments of Zimbabwe and Mozambique have already begun renovating and extending the ten-kilometer stretch of railway linking Machipanda to Mutare, following the guidelines established at bilateral meetings between the nations.
In January, Mateus Magala, Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Communications, made an official visit to Zimbabwe to discuss cooperation in infrastructure development with his Zimbabwean counterpart.
This visit followed the presence of Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe and Filipe Nyusi at the inauguration of the recently rehabilitated Beira-Machipanda railway line, representing an investment of 200 million dollars.
