Maputo, 3 Nov (AIM) – The Mozambican and Malawian governments are negotiating the resumption of commercial trains between the two countries through the Mutarara-Vila Nova da Fronteira branch of the Sena railway line, in the central province of Tete.
According to Mozambican Transport Minister, Mateus Magala, who was speaking at the opening of a meeting with the Malawian Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara, cited in Friday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Notícias”, “the discussions intend to negotiate the possibility of removing railway borders between Mozambique and Malawi, similar to what has been done with South Africa and Eswatini.”
Magala said that the rail and road networks on both sides of the border make the economies very interconnected, but “this kind of economy requires permanent consultation and consensus-building on the best options to be taken.”
“Recognizing Mozambique’s role in providing efficient logistics options for imports and exports in the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region, we have decided to work, bilaterally, with the ministers of the sector to strengthen our cooperation”, he said, adding that “delivery is the best way to undertake significant reforms.”
The two countries will be able to resume the transportation of various cargos this year via the Vila Nova de Fronteira railway line in Mutarara, Tete province from the Port of Beira, after 37 years of paralysis.
This feat could be achieved this year, judging by the pace of the reconstruction work on the 72 kilometres of the railway line, which connects Mutarara, to Nsanje, in Malawi.
(AIM)
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