Construction World April 2022

The head of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina recently joined Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to formally launch the construction of the landmark Dodoma City Outer Ring Road project. H undreds of local residents gathered to witness the occasion in the country’s capital , Dodoma. They waved the Tanzanian flag and jubilated as the two leaders laid the foundation stone. The 112,3-kilometre road project, largely funded by the African Development Bank, forms part of the Trans-African Highway Corridor that l inks Cape Town to Cairo via Dodoma, crossing the Central Corridor via Dar es Salaam to the interior of Tanzania. President Hassan thanked the Bank for its vital role in the country’s development. “We salute the African Development Bank for its strategic support to Tanzania, especially its support in infrastructure development,” she said as she paid tribute to her predecessor, the late President John Maguful i , for initiating the project. “This road will open markets for us, enabl ing us to produce more and build the economy.” The African Development Bank Group approved funding for the Dodoma City Outer Ring Road in 2019. The total project cost is USD214,69m, with the Bank providing nearly 65% of the funding or about USD137,3m. A further USD41,8m comes from the Africa Growing Together Fund, financed by the People’s Bank of China. The road project forms part of a masterplan to transform greater Dodoma into a thriving, sustainable city for its 2,4 mill ion people. It serves the regional markets in Tanzania, Burundi , Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republ ic of Congo, demonstrating one of the African Development Bank’s High Five priorities – ‘Integrate Africa’. Once completed, the road is expected to improve accessibil ity to and around Dodoma City and the region. It will also reduce transport costs and travel times. Dodoma residents are already looking forward to the difference the new road will make in their daily l ives. “The road will improve my taxi business, as I will be able to make many trips with customers,” said Vincent Donald, a Dodoma taxi driver. “Before, I managed only a few trips because of the rough road,” he added. Ahead of the laying of the foundation stone, Adesina held talks with President Hassan to discuss future collaboration. Tanzania, a founding member of the African Development Bank, enjoys one of the largest Bank portfol ios in the East Africa region. As at January 2022, the Bank’s active portfol io consisted of 23 operations valued at USD2,5bn.  TANZANIA TO EXPAND MARKETS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

19 CONSTRUCTION WORLD APRIL 2022