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When France Builds a Train in Africa, the International Media Coverage is Very Different Than When China Does

by Eric Olander
TRANSLATION: In Senegal, train service between Dakar and Diamniadio is finally in service.

Senegalese President Macky Sall launched a new 40-kilometer commuter railway last week that will link the industrial city Diamniadio with the capital Dakar. The debut of the new Regional Express marked an important milestone for Senegal. It is the first rail line to be built in the country since independence from France in 1960.

It was also notable that it was built by a consortium of some 20 French companies at a cost of $1.3 billion. But what was interesting about the international media coverage is that unlike Chinese railway launches in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria, where the issue of loans and debt sustainability have become key themes, there was no mention at all of these issues in the coverage by Reuters, AFP, FRANCE 24 and Al Jazeera. 

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