Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Tuesday entered into an agreement to construct a standard gauge railway connecting the three countries in a move aimed at easing transport.

Isack Kamwelwe, Tanzania's Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, said after the signing of an agreement for the implementation of the project that the SGR will connect the two landlocked countries with Tanzania's Dar es Salam port.

Kamwelwe said feasibility studies being conducted by HP Gulf of Germany for the grand railway project will be completed at the end of January next year. He did not reveal the source of funding for the project.

On November 27, 2019, Tanzanian President John Magufuli said the governments of Tanzania and Rwanda were in final touches of negotiations to construct SGR from the Isaka dry port in Tanzania to Rwanda.

Magufuli told a public rally at Isaka dry port in Kahama district that the SGR will also serve landlocked countries of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"In principle, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has agreed to jointly implement the project," Magufuli said.

He said feasibility studies for the SGR linking Tanzania and Rwanda have already been undertaken, adding that the two countries were now looking for financiers of the project.