Tanzania’s first electric train could supercharge economic development in East Africa

A new Tanzanian railway could supercharge economic development in East Africa.

Authorities in the country hope its first electric-powered train — which connects the country’s capital Dodoma with the port city of Dar es Salaam — will kickstart other rail projects in neighboring countries, turning Tanzania’s line into the gateway to the Indian Ocean.

The US and China are vying for influence over the continent’s rail industry, with both deploying hundreds of millions of dollars in financing for train lines, the International Railway Journal reported.

Experts believe at the heart of the tussle lies a battle for resources, including for metals and minerals essential for the green transition. African leaders fear getting “trapped in a new cold war.”