WORK HAS BEGUN IN MALAWI ON A NEW RAILWAY LINKING THE NATION WITH MOZAMBIQUE AND GIVING MALAWI ACCESS TO DEEP WATER - A THE INDIAN OCEAN PORT OF NACALA.

THE RAILWAY - 62 MILES LONG - IS BEING FINANCED BY A GBP6.4 MILLION LOAN FROM SOUTH AFRICA. IT'S THE SECOND LOAN AGREEMENT ANNOUNCED BETWEEN MALAWI AND SOUTH AFRICA IN A WEEK, AND BRINGS SOUTH AFRICAN COMMITMENT IN MALAWI TO MORE THAN GBP11 MILLION.

THE NEW RAILWAY WILL RUN FROM A POINT ON THE EXISTING MALAWI RAIL SYSTEM NEAR BALAK IN THE SOUTH TO THE MOZAMBIQUE BORDER WHERE IT WILL LINK UP WITH THE PORTUGUESE RAILWAY.

THE CONTRACT FOR THE WORK HAS GONE TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSORTIUM. WORK IS EXPECTED TO LAST TWO YEARS.

ACCESS TO NACALA, ONE OF EAST AFRICA'S MOST MODERN PORTS, WILL REDUCE MALAWI'S DEPENDENCE ON BEIRA, WHICH ALSO SERVES RHODESIA, ZAMBIA, AND MOZAMBIQUE.

THE RAILWAY WILL GO TROUGH FIELDS AT PRESENT CULTIVATED BY LOCAL TRIBES. ONE OF THE FIRST JOBS IS TO CONSTRUCT ROADS TO ENABLE LORRIES TO BRING UP THE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES NEEDED TO BUILD THE RAILWAY.