DR CONGO: Alstom has signed a memorandum of understanding to co-operate with Africa Finance Corp in the development of the 300 km MetroKin urban rail project in fast-growing Kinshasa.
The announcement on May 30 came after an official visit to France by DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi in April.
It follows on from AFC’s agreement with Trans Connexion Congo to develop a mass transit system in four phases. The first phase would be a line from Kinshasa Centrale station to N’Djili International Airport, using part of the existing 1 067 mm gauge railway which would be significantly modernised.
AFC has committed an initial investment of US$3m to advance the project to financial close.
Alstom would act as a strategic industrial partner, drawing on its experience supplying suburban trains for South Africa and the Dakar TER suburban rail scheme, and working on the Abidjan metro project.
| Metrokin project | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Route | Length, km |
| 1 | Gare Centrale to N’djili international airport | 25 |
| 2 | Kinshasa maillage expansion along the conurbation’s main arteries | 75 |
| 3 | Kinshasa city loop | 90 |
| 4 | N’djili airport to Maluku | 80 |
‘We are pleased to welcome a global institution of high repute like Alstom to the project’, said Amadou Wadda, Senior Director of Project Development & Technical Solutions at AFC. ‘Their expertise will be crucial as we push forward with this project, which promises to reshape Kinshasa’s economic landscape, create numerous jobs, and transform lives.’
Bernard Peille, Managing Diector of Alstom’s Southern Africa Cluster, said ‘through our enhanced presence in the region, Alstom is committed to partnering with MetroKin to support the development of an effective mass urban transit solution for Kinshasa. We aim to contribute to the city’s development ambitions by leveraging our global expertise and supporting its citizens in their mobility needs.’
