Turkish builder seals $1.9bn deal to extend Tanzania railway

[dBSPL]

Indian Ocean country eyes links to African neighbors

The rail-welding process in Tanzania. The standard-gauge railway has the potential to connect with a similar Chinese-built railway in neighboring Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Yapi Merkezi)
SINAN TAVSAN, Nikkei staff writerDecember 29, 2021 08:21 JST
ISTANBUL -- Turkish construction giant Yapi Merkezi signed a $1.9 billion contract with Tanzania on Tuesday to build the 368 km third phase of a planned railway that will eventually link Dar es Salaam, the commercial hub on the Indian Ocean, to the port city of Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria -- which shares a border with Kenya and Uganda.

Turkish builder seals $1.9bn deal to extend Tanzania railway

Indian Ocean country eyes links to African neighbors

asia.nikkei.com

DAR ES SALAAM, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Tanzania on Tuesday signed a contract with Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi to build a 368 km section of standard gauge railway that is expected to cost $1.9 billion and will be funded by loans.

It is part of a 1,219 km line which Tanzania is building to help boost trade with neighbouring countries and Yapi Merkezi is already building two other sections which are near completion.


The section announced on Tuesday will link Makutopora with Tabora, two towns in the country's central region, Masanja Kadogosa, director general of Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC), said in a televised ceremony.

The full line will connect Tanzania's Indian Ocean port and commercial capital of Dar es Salaam with Mwanza, a port city on the shores of Lake Victoria which straddles the borders of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.


President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at the ceremony that Tanzania would borrow to finance the project.

"We will find friendly loan facilities and the best ways to get loans. We won't get this money from levies or from domestic taxes," she said, adding they were giving priority to the project because it connects Tanzania to its regional neighbours.


The east African country is currently implementing mega infrastructure projects to support its industrialisation plans including a controversial 2,115 megawatt hydroelectric dam being built in a UNESCO world heritage site.

www.reuters.com/world/africa/tanzania-signs-19-bln-railway-contract-with-turkish-firm-2021-12-28/

 

[FuturePAF]

More competition will hopefully lower cost for countries to get infrastructure built. Good to see the Turks are building major infrastructure in Africa, particularly close to one of the most populous areas in Africa; the Lake Victoria region.

Hope the Turks work with the Somalia’s to build a space port on the equator on the Somali coast; best place in a Muslim majority country, outside of Indonesia, to have a space port for Geostationary orbits (A deal to upgrade Pakistan’s Space Port would also be good for Polar Orbits)

Back to the Topic. Any indication if this is just to build the track or are Turkish services and trains to be provided as part of this project?

 

[aziqbal]

great news

we need to hear more news like this

 

[dBSPL]

great news

we need to hear more news like this

Investments and partnerships of Turkish companies in African countries reached an incredible momentum. Frankly, I don't feel the need to share, as most of them are not the main interest of PDF. If there is such an interest, I can share more about these topics.

The reason why I share this Tanzanian railway project is that it is a very strategic infrastructure investment move that concerns many countries in the continent. Along with Chinese companies, Turkish companies also have important responsibilities here. The consequences will be felt in the years to come.

 

[aziqbal]

Investments and partnerships of Turkish companies in African countries reached an incredible momentum. Frankly, I don't feel the need to share, as most of them are not the main interest of PDF. If there is such an interest, I can share more about these topics.

The reason why I share this Tanzanian railway project is that it is a very strategic infrastructure investment move that concerns many countries in the continent. Along with Chinese companies, Turkish companies also have important responsibilities here. The consequences will be felt in the years to come.

you can open a new thread in Turkish section and I am sure the news will be welcome

 

[denel]

Investments and partnerships of Turkish companies in African countries reached an incredible momentum. Frankly, I don't feel the need to share, as most of them are not the main interest of PDF. If there is such an interest, I can share more about these topics.

The reason why I share this Tanzanian railway project is that it is a very strategic infrastructure investment move that concerns many countries in the continent. Along with Chinese companies, Turkish companies also have important responsibilities here. The consequences will be felt in the years to come.

You are correct; unfortunately Chinese investments have proven to be in many cases white elephants that did not yield much in terms of benefits to the local countries. One casing point was the folly of Bagamoyo port development which was insanely expensive and just a cash cow for a few. This definitely links the coastal region in terms of trade to the greater lakes countries and brings much needed connectivity to Rwanda and to some extent if Burundi can get its act together.

 

[Titanium100]

You are correct; unfortunately Chinese investments have proven to be in many cases white elephants that did not yield much in terms of benefits to the local countries. One casing point was the folly of Bagamoyo port development which was insanely expensive and just a cash cow for a few. This definitely links the coastal region in terms of trade to the greater lakes countries and brings much needed connectivity to Rwanda and to some extent if Burundi can get its act together.

I was just changing Rwanda and Burundi surprised to know that they are two small countries but you hear alot about the former despite being very small