The four-kilometre RR2 railway diversion within the Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) concession in Lualaba Province was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, 20 January 2026.
The diversion is located on the Tenke–Kolwezi–Dilolo railway axis, a key rail corridor serving the mining regions of the southern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Constructed at the request of TFM, the new railway section supports the continued development of the Fungurume mine. The diversion enables access to newly identified strategic mineral deposits while maintaining rail continuity along the existing RR2 alignment and ensuring uninterrupted operations on the line.
The project was fully financed by TFM and built in accordance with international standards. The completed works establish an improved infrastructure benchmark for the area and contribute to more efficient rail logistics and commercial fluidity.
The project has been referenced as aligning with broader efforts to modernise national railway infrastructure, including initiatives under the Provincial Development Programme 2024–2028.
The official inauguration ceremony took place in Tenke under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Ways of Communication and De-enclavement, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo. The event was attended by the Governor of Lualaba Province, Fifi Masuka, along with representatives of the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo (SNCC), ONATRA, Tenke Fungurume Mining, and Gazebo Congo SARL.
Following completion, the Fungurume–Kwatebala railway diversion now forms part of the operational railway network in Lualaba Province.
By way of background, in June 2025, TFM submitted the technical feasibility documentation for the RR2 rail diversion after requesting authorisation from the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to partially divert the RR2 railway line operated by SNCC.
Written by Phillippa Dean
