Last week Sudan inaugurated a railway line that will reconnect the north to the south for the first time since the civil war split the country in two. According to the authorities, it will constitute a crucial economic link and consequently reduce the cost of freight transport.

Built in the 1960s, the 446km railway line will once again link the town of Babanusa in central Sudan with the southern town of Wau.

The 46 million dollar line was financed by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) administered by the World Bank. The Sudanese government has contributed up to two thirds of the cost, with the remainder coming from international donors.