The Angolan government has spent over US$3.3 billion on the programme to rebuild and modernise the Luanda, Moçâmedes and Benguela railroads, said the country’s transport minister Augusto da Silva Tomás.

Cited by Angolan news agency Angop, the minister said that that the funding had been used to build railway stations and bridges, lay new tracks, buy locomotives and telecommunications systems.

In terms of the Moçâmedes Railroad, Tomás noted that work had required reconstruction of 56 first, second and third class railway stations.

“Everything is being done so that by July the line will be completely prepared to transport people and goods, which will be able to happen as of August along the Namibe/Lubango/Menongue line,” he said.

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