China and Kenya have agreed to revive a long-delayed railway project, signalling renewed momentum in infrastructure cooperation and a shift towards more sustainable financing models across Africa.
The project centres on extending Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a major transport corridor developed with Chinese support under the Belt and Road Initiative. Construction had been stalled for more than six years after funding slowed amid concerns over debt levels and economic viability.
Under the renewed agreement, both sides are adopting a revised financing approach. Rather than relying heavily on large government loans, Kenya is exploring alternative funding methods, including revenue from a railway development levy. This is expected to ease financial pressure while allowing the project to progress.
Chinese firms, including China Road and Bridge Corporation, are expected to continue playing a central role in construction. The restart follows a series of negotiations aimed at restructuring earlier arrangements and aligning the project with Kenya’s current economic priorities.
The railway extension is seen as vital for regional connectivity. Once completed, it is expected to link the port city of Mombasa with neighbouring countries such as Uganda, strengthening trade routes across East Africa. The initial phase, completed in 2017, already connects Mombasa to Nairobi and parts of the interior, but the incomplete extension has long limited its full potential.
Kenyan President William Ruto has emphasised the importance of completing the railway, describing it as key to reducing transport costs, boosting trade and supporting long-term economic growth. Reviving stalled infrastructure projects has become a priority for his administration as it seeks to stimulate development.
For China, the renewed partnership reflects an evolving strategy in overseas investment. Rather than relying solely on large-scale lending, its involvement is increasingly shifting towards shared-risk models and more financially sustainable cooperation.
The revival of the railway project is being closely watched as a test case for future China–Africa partnerships. It highlights how previously stalled mega-projects can be brought back on track through adjusted financing, sustained diplomatic engagement and a shared commitment to long-term development goals.
A building at Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in ...
Russian strikes killed ...
A former Ukrainian military officer has gone on trial in Germany, accused of orchestrating the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions that disrupted ...
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
A building at Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in the eastern city of Dhahran was attacked late Tuesday, causing a limited fire, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said on Wednesday. The incident came as fighting between the kingdom and Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi group intensify.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Thousands of young Georgians leave the country each year in search of better economic opportunities, with many moving west. As questions grow over Georgia’s European path, AnewZ spoke to people who have emigrated about what it would take for them to return.
Russian strikes killed three people in Kyiv and plunged hundreds of thousands into darkness overnight, authorities said on Wednesday, in an attack President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called “ostentatious disrespect” to Donald Trump's peace effort.
A former Ukrainian military officer has gone on trial in Germany, accused of orchestrating the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions that disrupted a major route for Russian gas supplies to Europe.
Argentina has asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, a judicial body which settles maritime disputes, to halt British-authorised oil activity near the Falkland Islands, escalating a sovereignty dispute over the archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Cornell University has prohibited parties and social gatherings at fraternity houses for the remainder of the academic year following allegations of a gang rape in 2024, as criticism mounts over the institution’s handling of the case.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will depart on Saturday (17 October) on a five-day trip to India and Uzbekistan, the State Department said, adding that he will discuss energy cooperation in India.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment