Maputo, July 18, 2025 (Lusa) - The French ambassador to Mozambique announced on Friday €114 million (US$133 million) in financing for the doubling of the Ressano Garcia railway line, which connects Maputo to the border with neighbouring South Africa.
“This significant investment, with two loans from the French Development Agency worth US$133 million, marks a fundamental stage in the partnership in the transport sector that dates back to the 1980s,” said the French ambassador to Mozambique, Yann Pradeau, quoted by the media.
He said that the financing for the company Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) is aimed at improving transport in the country.
At the same ceremony, the European Union announced €30 million in support for the same project to double the railway line linking Maputo to South Africa, explaining that the fund aims to make Mozambique’s ports and railways “sustainable, smart and resilient”.
On that occasion, the chairman of the board of directors of CFM, Agostinho Lamga, said that with the investment, the company hopes to improve the efficiency of railway operations.
“With this financing, we will complete the doubling of the Ressano Garcia line, as has been well said here, we will increase its capacity to around 19 million tonnes per year, but more than that, we want, with the completion of this project, to improve the efficiency of our railway operations,” said Agostinho Langa.
“The next step may be the need to invest in more rolling stock, I am referring to locomotives and wagons, and this need is already beginning to be felt, because today we operate within Zimbabwe, on the Chicualacuala line and the Machipanda line,” he added.
The Mozambican government has previously announced that it intends to invest around €193.3 million by 2030 in doubling railway lines and acquiring carriages, locomotives and wagons to strengthen passenger and freight transport capacity.
“In the southern and central railway system, under the direct management of the company Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM), we plan to invest around 14 billion meticais [€193.3 million] in the period 2025–2030 in the implementation of strategic projects,” said Transport and Logistics Minister João Matlombe in April, when inaugurating three new locomotives in Maputo.
The minister also said at the time that the government wants to invest in completing the duplication of the remaining 25 kilometres of the Ressano Garcia railway line in Maputo, which links Mozambique and South Africa, and also in the acquisition of more than 30 carriages, with the aim of increasing passenger transport capacity.
The government also intends to acquire at least 250 wagons by 2030 to meet the growing demand for mineral transport and to purchase at least 15 locomotives.
The Minister of Transport and Logistics said that the three new locomotives inaugurated cost 422.4 million meticais (€5.8 million) and are intended to strengthen passenger rail transport capacity in the Greater Maputo region, recognising their impact on community development.
VIYS/AYLS // AYLS
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