The Tanzanian Ministry of Defence and National Service has contracted the Shanghai Construction Group of China to build 12,000 housing units for the Tanzanian Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF) in a two-phase project financed by a $550m loan from the Exim Bank of China.
According to Tanzanian newspaper, Daily News, the first phase will see the construction of 6,600 units in the municipalities of Dar es Salaam and Arusha by the end of 2016. The second phase will involve the construction of units in 40 more cities and towns across the country.
Shanghai Construction Group’s international deputy general manager Xun Xiaohui said the contract would be completed on time despite various challenges, including rains and the remoteness of some locations.
“The project covers (about) 40 towns and cities in Tanzania. The biggest challenge involves transporting construction material and equipment to the sites. We will also face setbacks by torrential rains that are likely to be falling in some areas from time to time,” Xun said, according to Daily News.
Xun said project, his company’s first in Tanzania, will take up to 50 months to complete.
He said Shanghai Construction Group would be interested in more projects in the energy, infrastructure and other civil engineering sectors in Tanzania.
The deal marks another milestone in the growing defence relationship between China and Tanzania, notes DefenceWeb news portal.Â
In recent years, China built Tanzania’s first defence and staff college, provided a wide range of weapons, including aircraft, and provided training for the TPDF.Â
Photograph: Soldiers of the Chinese 7th Navy Convoy share combat training with the Tanzanian Marine Corps soldiers at Dar es Salaam (Photo by Xinhua/Fan Junwei)
