The speed at which the Angolan railroad system has been rebuilt is a first for the African continent, said Angola’s transport minister, Augusto Tomás in the city of Lubango, cited by Angolan news agency Angop.

Noting that in just a few years 2 700-kilometres of railroads were rebuilt, the minister noted that over US$3.3-billion was spent on the three main lines – Luanda, Benguela and Namibe (formerly Moçâmedes).

Tomás noted that the reconstruction programme for the railroads included the lines themselves and 148 stations, and that 243 units of rolling stock had been purchased, including engines, trucks and carriages, and that workshops and professional training centres had been built.

“The three railroads have altogether consumed that US$3.3 billion, but there are still other tasks to be carried out, and thus modernisation of the railroads will continue,” he said.

Work to rebuild Angola’s three railroads was carried out by Chinese companies with funding from Beijing.