Thursday 31st October, 2019
DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 31 (Xinhua/GNA) — The
African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a 455 million U.S. dollars loan to
Tanzania for the construction of a new airport and ring roads in the new
capital Dodoma, a Tanzanian government statement has said.
The statement issued by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation said the approval of the loan was
announced by AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina in the bank’s headquarters in
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, during talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs and East
African Cooperation Palamagamba Kabudi.
The statement said Adesina said the bank was
impressed by economic reforms being implemented in Tanzania under the
leadership of President John Magufuli.
Adesina added that the bank will continue supporting
efforts being taken by Tanzania aimed at turning the country into an industrial
economy.
The AfDB president said out of the 455
million dollars, 180 million dollars will be used for the construction of the
ring roads and 275 million dollars for the construction of the airport.
He said the bank’s chief mission was to
ensure that African countries were fully supported in making remarkable
development achievements.
For his part, Kabudi thanked the AfDB for
supporting the country’s strategic projects aimed at lessening Tanzania’s
dependence on foreign handouts.
Kabudi said the AfDB has agreed in principle
to finance the construction of the standard gauge railway from Isaka to the
Rwandan capital Kigali.
“Talks between Tanzania and the AfDB on
the financing of the construction of the SGR from Isaka to Kigali are on
advanced stage,” said Kabudi.
Kabudi was in Cote d’Ivoire attending a
two-day extraordinary meeting of Ministers for Finance organized by the AfDB.
He represented the Minister for Finance and Planning Philip Mpango. Â
GNA
