Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Friday, November 26, 2021.
Samia to discuss EACOP oil pipeline progress with Museveni
President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to meet and hold talks with her Ugandan counterpart President Yoweri Museveni this weekend whereby the two leaders will discuss opportunities presented by the 1,445km East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, among other bilateral talks.
The East African newspaper quoted President Museveni’s deputy press secretary Farouk Kirunda as saying that the Ugandan leader will have a three-day working visit to Tanzania starting Saturday, where, together with President Samia, they will hold talks on the progress of the $3.5 billion EACOP project to be jointly constructed between the two countries, and which is expected to connect Uganda’s oil fields to Tanzania’s port of Tanga.
Tanzania and Uganda signed the Host Government Agreement, Share Holder Agreement (for the pipeline company) and Tariff agreements, in April 2021, three key agreements to kick off the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) with France’s Total and China’s CNOOC.
But the project still faces financing issues after some European lenders walked away from requests to finance it.
The EACOP project is expected to create over 5,000 jobs directly and over 20,000 others indirectly.
ATCL resumes flights between Dar and Nairobi after 20 years of absence
Air Tanzania has resumed two daily flights between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi after 20 years since it ceased operations.
The airline’s Managing Director Ladislaus Matindi said in a statement that has been prompted by improved bilateral relations, increased trade between the two countries, inter-governmental relations, tourism, an extension of familial and friendly ties and the need to connect the region with other markets.
ATCL says it will operate an Airbus A220-300 aircraft on the new route as Nairobi becomes a strategic route in African plans, a 132-seater aircraft with 12 business class seats and 120 economy class seats.
“We are extremely delighted to resume the Nairobi route, which is one of the most significant destinations in East Africa and a key aviation hub as well,” Matindi said. “We at Air Tanzania are looking forward to bolstering the relations between Tanzania and Kenya, who have been trusted friends and sincere partners for decades, with this non-stop air service.”
The airline says a ticket for a round trip will start at $334 and roughly $210 for one-way travel on the new Dar-Nairobi route.
The company plans to commence flights on 13 other routes in Africa and Asia in the coming months using its 11 aircraft comprising Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier.
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