Dodoma braces for new look

PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has expressed optimism that the 215 million US dollars (about 497bn/) Dodoma City Outer Ring Road project will open business space between Tanzania and other African countries.

Laying a foundation stone for the 112.3-Kilometre Road project on Wednesday, President Samia paid tribute to the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group for providing funding for the project that will transform the face and image of the country's capital Dodoma.

The AfDB is the main financier of the project after its Board approved funding for the Dodoma City Outer Ring Road project in 2019. The Bank Group is financing 64 per cent of the total cost or 137.3 million US dollars (about 317bn/-).

The government of Tanzania's contribution is 34.5 million US dollars (about 79.7bn/-), while an additional 41.8 million US dollars (about 94.8bn/-) comes from the Africa Growing Together Fund, financed by the People's Bank of China.

"By funding this project, the bank has really demonstrated that it is the bank of Africa which is really committed to African development," said President Samia in the capital city yesterday, at an event which was also attended by AfDB's President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

Dr. Adesina began a three-day official visit to Tanzania on Monday. The visit signals strong ongoing support by the pan-African lender for transformative infrastructure in the country.

Yesterday morning, the Bank Group chief met with President Samia and senior members of government at Chamwino State House in Dodoma.

He later joined the president for the foundation stone laying ceremony for the 112.3-km Dodoma City Outer Ring Road co-financed by the Bank.

At the event, President Samia revealed that she had a very convincing conversation with the bank's top boss where they both agreed to bolster bilateral cooperation and that the latter pledged that his bank would remain a trusted partner with Tanzania.

Overall, the Head of State noted, they agreed to strengthen the already solid relationship between Tanzania and the Bank Group, reinforcing the country's determination to become a middle-income economy.

"We also agreed to continue working together in the implementation of various ongoing and future development projects especially in the infrastructure sector," she said, adding that Dr. Adesina had accepted her request to support economic empowerment for women and youth in the country in order to reduce unemployment.

Regarding the Dodoma City Outer Ring Road project, President Samia said the laying of groundwork for one of the largest road projects in the whole of East and Central Africa was one of the steps towards opening of the wider market in the continent.

"This is a main catalyst in production and transport growth as we are likely to have access to markets from different countries in the region and from across the continent," she said.

According to the president, upon completion, the road would be in position to increase sales of agricultural produce and industrial products and that production was equally likely to increase due to the available markets.

Speaking at the event, the AfDB's president appeared to have been attracted by the way President Samia greets her people in the country, saying the greetings were giving Tanzanians the strength to work hard.

"You always say: I salute you in the name of the United Republic of Tanzania and I love the way your people respond - Let the work continue... You are continuing with a dream that was left by your predecessor (late John Magufuli) because you both had shared dream for Tanzanians, the dream for a prosperous Tanzania, a Tanzania that is peaceful with fast pace in economic growth and a country that has big hope for Africa," he stated.

The Minister for Works and Transport, Professor Makame Mbarawa also commended the existing cooperation between AfDB and Tanzania especially on infrastructure projects.