STORY: Malawian minister praises progress on Chinese-built railway reconstruction project
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 5, 2025
DATELINE: Feb. 12, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:33
LOCATION: NSANJE, Malawi
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Jacob Hara inspecting the project
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JACOB HARA, Malawian Minister of Transport and Public Works
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ELIAS BANDA, Engineer
4. various of Jacob Hara inspecting the project

STORYLINE:

Malawian Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara, commended the significant progress of a Chinese-built railway reconstruction project during his visit to the construction site in southern Malawi.

China Railway 20th Bureau Group (CR20) has been contracted to rehabilitate the 72-kilometer railway stretching from Marka, the southern border station with Mozambique, to Bangula in Malawi's Nsanje district.

The Marka-Bangula Railway was destroyed by floods in 1997, rendering it completely out of service. CR20 officially began reconstruction in January 2023.

Once complete, the project will facilitate the exchange of passengers and goods between Zambia and the port of Beira, Mozambique, creating a vital sea passage for southern African countries.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JACOB HARA, Malawian Minister of Transport and Public Works
"This is a bridge, 216 meters, the longest bridge in Malawi. This bridge is what people thought could never be done. And those that know this place really well now they know and they have the confidence that this rail will be able to get to Nsanje and evidently, to Limbe."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ELIAS BANDA, Engineer
"I should say we are on track. All the materials are almost ready, with some in transit, but they have been procured. And we are set to meet the deadline, as we said earlier on, by August, we anticipate that we will reach Nsanje."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nsanje, Malawi.
(XHTV)