Tanzania on Friday signed a $1.3-billion (1-billion-euro) deal with two Chinese companies for building a section of a railway aimed at linking its main port to neighbouring countries.

President John Magufuli and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi oversaw the signing of the contract at an event broadcast live on state television.

The deal involves the fifth section in a 2,561-kilometre (1,600-mile) railway whose construction began in 2017.

The overall plan is to link the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam to Mwanza on Lake Victoria, with eventual spurs to Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

The Chinese firms will build a 341-kilometre section between the port city of Mwanza on Lake Victoria and Isaka in the northwest, according to Tanzanian Transport Minister Leonard Chamuriho.

"This signing is a clear testimony of the friendship between Tanzania and China," Chamuriho said at the event.

The builders will be China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and China Railway Construction Limited.

Chamuriho invited Chinese companies to bid for the final two phases of the railway and also urged the country to assist in financing the project, currently being paid for by the Tanzanian government.

Turkish company Yapi Merkezi is already constructing the first two phases involving over 700 kilometres from Dar es Salaam.

The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on a two-day visit to Tanzania, said ties were strengthening between the two nations.

Chinese companies have built several major infrastructure projects in Tanzania worth about $10 billion.

"I ask Chinese companies to make sure they implement projects with required standards. They should actually put the interest of Tanzania first," said Wang.

"Tanzania is on the right track with projects it's implementing because you cannot develop without good infrastructure," he said.

After the signing ceremony Magufuli said he had asked China to support the financing of the construction of a controversal hydropower plant in the Selous Game Reserve.

"I have also asked China to consider waiving some debts and I believe they will work on that through their concessions," he said.

China is the biggest investor in Africa, pumping about $148 billion in railroads, ports and airports in exchange for securing oil and commodity supplies such as copper and cobalt, according to data from the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) at Johns Hopkins University.

These infrastructure projects are built through vast loans issued by China, but Beijing has been criticised for lending too much to poor countries, without scrutinising their ability to repay.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

After eight years of Mali campaign, France seeks exit strategy
Paris (AFP) Jan 6, 2021
Eight years after France sent troops to Mali to prevent jihadists from overrunning the country, it faces tough choices over how to keep pursuing Islamist extremists without becoming bogged down in a potentially unwinnable war. Five French soldiers have been killed by roadside bombs in Mali over the past 10 days, bringing to 50 the number of troops killed across the Sahel since France launched a campaign to clear northern Mali of jihadists in January 2013. The latest victims included Sergeant Yv ... read more