Locomotive manufacturer CRRC Ziyang Co, a subsidiary of China’s CRRC Corporation, has delivered freight-train carriages to Sudan, reported Bloomberg citing Sudanese Transport Minister Hisham Abu-Zaid.   

These carriages are valued at $51.6m. Of this, Sudan paid 30% upfront, added the Minister. The latest delivery highlights the support by China to Sudan’s railway network restoration project worth $640m. Sudan plans to take up the project amid its economic crisis owing to last year’s military coup. According to the Minister, the freight-train carriages will enable the country to transport as many as 350,000 tonnes of cargo by rail on a monthly basis, up from 80,000 tonnes. However, he did not elaborate on the future plans of the restoration project or on any additional assistance from China.  

In April 2021, Egyptian and Sudanese transport officials initiated talks for a new 900km-long rail line connecting the two countries to improve transportation of passengers and goods. In July 2021, Sudan announced plans to refurbish over 2,000km of rail network that have been damaged due to several sanctions and mismanagement. 

The African Development Bank, China State Construction Engineering Corp and a few Gulf firms reportedly offered assistance in this regard. The project faced hassles in the form of a military coup in October last year that disrupted the country’s democratic transition. The US and World Bank, among other organisations, froze their assistance worsening the country’s economic crunch.