Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Wednesday, February 9, 2022.
Samia leaves Tanzania for France, Belgium
President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday left the country for France and Belgium on a state visit, where among other things she is expected to attend heads of state conference in France.
The leaders are expected to discuss global marine resources, a statement released yesterday by the director of presidential communications Zuhura Yunus said.
The statement added that the Head of States will also witness the signing of the agreements between Tanzanian and France.
The agreements focus on the development projects sector, cooperation in the blue economy, maritime security, the transport sector and sustainable development.
President Samia is also expected to meet Tanzanians living in France.
Samia lays the foundation stone for Dodoma City Outer Ring Road
President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the 112.3 km Dodoma City Outer Ring Road that is expected to shore up Dodoma’s reputation as an academic city and tourist destination.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved funding for the Dodoma City Outer Ring Road project in 2019 where it is funding 64 per cent of the project’s total cost of $214.69 million, which is an equivalent of $137.3 million.
The government of Tanzania’s contribution is $34.5 million, while an additional $41.8 million comes from the Africa Growing Together Fund, financed by the People’s Bank of China.
The circular highway forms part of a master plan to transform greater Dodoma into a thriving, sustainable city for its 2.4 million people.
AfDB president Dr Akinwumi Adesina, who is in Tanzania for a three-day official visit, also took part in the foundation stone laying ceremony.
Dr Adesina also met and held talks with President Samia at Chamwino’s State House, where the Tanzanian leader expressed her willingness to partner with the AfDB in rolling out development programs for the economic empowerment of Tanzanian women and youth.
“My government is very passionate about issues affecting ordinary people,” Samia told her guest according to a statement released by the director to presidential communications Zuhura Yunus. “And [my government] is keen to work with the [AfDB] to ensure we empower women and youths of this country.”
Dr Adesina, on his part, described his host as “action-driven president” and an “example not only for women and girls in Tanzania but also for women and girls in Africa and elsewhere.”
“I came [to Tanzania] to assure her that she will get extreme support from me and from the African Development Bank,” he added, according to the statement.
During a meeting with Dr Adesina in the capital Dodoma yesterday, Finance and Planning Minister Mwigulu Nchemba commended the pan-African lender for its commitment to support the government of Tanzania in implementing new projects in various sectors.
Apart from the planned Dodoma outer rings roads, AfDB also funds the envisaged international airport at Msalato.
“The two projects and the empowerment of women and youth and support to the agricultural sector that is the backbone of the economy will boost the economy of Tanzania,” government-owned Daily News newspaper quoted Dr Nchemba as saying.
Zanzibar reduces 50 per cent import duty on sugar to curb inflation
Zanzibar’s Minister for Trade and Industrial Development Omar Said Shaaban said on Tuesday the semi-autonomous government has reduced import duty for sugar by 50 per cent in an attempt to curb inflation and make the commodity affordable to consumers.
Announcing the reduction of the import duty for sugar, warned traders against abusing the reduction of the import duty for sugar for business gains.
Shaaban told a news conference that the government has decided to reduce import duty on sugar to enable consumers to buy the commodity at an affordable price.
He said the government will continue monitoring commodity prices at the global market and make sure that dishonest traders did not punish customers by increasing prices of commodities with no apparent reasons.
“The government will crackdown on traders who violate business guidelines,” warned the minister.
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