Chinese officials have reached a significant agreement to upgrade the long-neglected Tanzania-Zambia railway, a deal finalized during the China-Africa Summit in Beijing. This initial agreement, signed on Wednesday, was observed by Chinese President Xi Jinping alongside Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. The deal aims to revitalize the railway that stretches from the Port of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania to Zambia’s copper-rich Kapiri-Mposhi town. Completed in 1976 by China, the 1,155-mile single-track line has suffered from decades of under-investment and poor maintenance, leading to reduced efficiency and market share. The revitalization effort will be spearheaded by the state-owned China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which will conduct a comprehensive business and technical inspection of the rail infrastructure. The results of this inspection will be used to prepare a detailed revitalization proposal for the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which is jointly owned by Tanzania and Zambia. The project aims to restore the railway's operational effectiveness and enhance its role in regional trade and transportation.