THE government of Mali has signed framework agreements worth $US 9.5bn with two Chinese railway civil engineering companies to build a new line to the Guinean port of Conakry and to upgrade the existing railway linking Mali with Senegal.
In their rush to extract western Africa's vast mineral wealth, mining companies are revitalising existing, and building new, heavy-haul rail lines. Paul Ash presents a comprehensive round-up of the latest activities in the region.