Tanzania and China have signed a $64.4 million grant to finance two infrastructure projects in the country. Dotto James, the Finance and Planning Ministry Permanent Secretary said during the signing ceremony that the funds will be used to construct a national university of transport at Mabibo in Dar es Salaam and a feasibility study for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Both projects will cost $62 million and $1.4 million respectively.
According to Dotto, the construction of the SGR has already started with the first phase beginning from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro and the second phase starting from Morogoro to Makutopora in Dodoma.
The feasibility study will be carried out by China and will cover other phases of SGR from Dodoma-Tabora-Mwanza and from Tabora to Kigoma through Kaliua.
“China has assisted us in many projects including the Chalinze Water Project, the National Stadium, Morogoro Agricultural Centre, the Centre for Training and Cardiac Surgery, Mwalimu Nyerere International Conference Centre, drug aids and medical equipment,” said Dotto.
China’s ambassador to Tanzania Ms Wang Ke said China hopes the grant will boost and accelerate Tanzania’s development.
“China will keep cooperating with Tanzania in implementing various development projects that would benefit the country and sustain bilateral relations between the two,” Ms Wang Ke stated.
