Chinese railway group inks $393m deal with Zambia

SHANGHAI. — China Railway Seventh Group on Tuesday signed a $393 million agriculture infrastructure development deal with the Zambia, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The Chinese firm will build roads, bridges, dams, canals and power distribution lines among other projects on the 200 000 hectares of Kalungwishi Farm Block in Mporokoso district in northern Zambia, Xinhua said. The three-year deal will create 35,000 jobs when the farming block starts operating.

“Agriculture is the way to go if we are to develop our economy and we are happy that the Chinese have come forward to help us develop infrastructure in these farming blocks,” Zambian Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya said.

The Zambian government is committed to the development of farming blocks as a way to move the country away from its dependence on copper, Siliya added. — Xinhua.