Commentary: China's railway construction helps Africa realize modernization

The Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit that started operation on Sunday has ushered in an era of modern transportation on the African continent. The railway constructed by China Railway Group (CREC) is the first modern light railway in Africa.

Over the past few years, "Built by China" railway projects and supporting industries have not only been a great propelling force for local infrastructure construction, but also created employment and economic development, yielding win-win results.

The electrified railway project is a historic achievement to modernize Ethiopia's capital of Addis Ababa and address the transportation problem in the city, Ethiopian Minister of Transport Workneh Gebeyehu said Sunday at the inaugural ceremony.

During the construction period, the CREC has employed about 20,000 local workers, and trained a large group of technical people in management, construction and operation.

Moreover, the project has also helped create an economic belt along the light rail, enhancing exchanges of people and goods along the line and having a positive influence on Addis Ababa's economy and even Ethiopia as a whole.

Meanwhile, as most African countries are relatively backward in transportation infrastructure, Chinese railway enterprises featuring rich experience, abundant production capacity, high quality at reasonable prices and flexibility can boost African countries' industrialization through improving infrastructure like transportation.

After tasting the sweetness of the light railway project, which will provide services to about 60,000 passengers per day, the Ethiopian government will soon launch the second phase of the project to improve the transport service in Addis Ababa, the transport minister said.

The same scenario is occurring in Kenya. Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that links the port city of Mombasa with the capital Nairobi will provide efficient and cost-effective rail transport for both freight and passengers, and make Kenya a competitive business hub in East Africa and beyond.

"This single project (SGR) alone will raise our GDP by 1.5 percent and that can enable us to achieve growth rates of even 8 percent," Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said in January. "It (construction of the SGR) will lead to the economic transformation of the country."

By August 2015, more than 25,000 Kenyans have been employed for the ongoing construction of the high-speed railway line, among whom at least 400 engineers and technicians will be available for future local and regional railway developments.

To sum up, China is a strategic partner of African countries when they implement their ambitious infrastructure, industrial development and modernization agendas. Chinese technical prowess, financial support and goodwill will power the modernization of the continent. Endi