Mr. Philippe Dongier,
World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Uganda
and Burundi,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. Mr. Country Director, please allow me, on behalf of the Government of
the United Republic of Tanzania to express my gratitude for this opportunity of
signing with you today, a Loan Agreement in the amount of US$210 million (TZS 344,610 Billion Equivalent) to support the
implementation of the Southern Africa Trade and Transport Facilitation Project
(SATTFP) Phase.
Indeed, the Government
appreciates the World Bank’s continued support in the transport sector. This
support has come at a time when the Government is in critical need of
implementing interventions to facilitate the movement of goods and people along
the North-South corridor (NSC) to enable Tanzania to become the Transport and
Logistic Hub of its neighboring countries.
This event once again
evidences the commitment and important role that the World Bank plays in the
social and economic development in Tanzania.
I wish to take this opportunity
on behalf of the Government and people of Tanzania to express our gratitude for
this continued support.
2. Mr. Country Director, the proceeds of the Loan we have signed today will
complement domestic resources for the implementation of activities that will
contribute to economic development of the people of Tanzania.
As you well know, the
project development objectives of the Southern Africa Trade and Transport
Facilitation Project (SATTFP) Phase 1 is to facilitate the movement of goods
and people along the Dar Es Salaam Corridor, whilst supporting improvements in
the services for HIV/AIDS and road safety. In addition, the project will also
support regional integration efforts in both the SADC and East African regions.
In order to achieve
the above objectives, the project will be implemented through the following key
components:
Component I: Improvement
of Physical Infrastructure:
This component has
three subcomponents, involving:
(i) Upgrading and
rehabilitation of approximately 140 km of the Mafinga-Igawa highway road
section along the Dar Es Salaam Corridor and of related access roads.
(ii) Improvement of
the Songwe-Kasumulu border post in order to establish a one-stop border post,
including implementation of the recommendations of a diagnostic review, the
establishment of a border committee, review and update of the border legal
framework, rehabilitation of the relevant infrastructure, provision of
equipment, preparation and implementation of the related safeguards
instruments, monitoring and evaluation of the progress achieved.
(iii) Preparation of
design studies and related construction of three consolidated inspection
stations along the Dar Es Salaam Corridor, being one at Vigwaza, and each
including a weighbridge, a police and customs checkpoint and a wellness center.
Component II: Mitigation of Social Costs
Component II focuses
on mitigation of social costs and will involve implementation of activities to
improve road safety and traffic conditions along the Dar Es Salaam Corridor,
including conducting a road safety audit and a capacity management review,
provision of advisory services, preparation of design studies and
implementation of related road interventions.
In addition, this
component will also involve implementation of a program aimed at reducing the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS and other STDs
infection among communities along the Dar Es Salaam Corridor, including
rehabilitation and provision of equipment and advisory services to lower level
health care facilities and strengthening the capacity of the relevant
personnel.
Component III:Implementation Assistance and
Institutional Support
In order to ensure
effective project implementation, the third component of the project will focus
on provision of advisory services, training and operational support required to
sustain management and coordination of Project implementation activities
including audits and implementation oversight.
This component will
also involve activities designed to improve transit and transport services in
order to facilitate trade conditions along the Dar Es Salaam Corridor,
including updating of the 2008 urban master plan for Dar Es Salaam, provision
of equipment and vehicles to traffic agencies and provision of training and
technical advisory services to customs brokers and to the relevant personnel at
TANROADS, the Tanzania Revenue Authority, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of
Works, TACAIDS, and Ministry of Haelth and Social Welfare.
3. Mr. Country Director, the preparation of this Loan from design stage up-to
this signing stage has involved many people and long hours of hard work to
discuss and negotiate the various aspects and provisions of the Loan Agreement
and project document.
On behalf of the
Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, allow me to thank you personally
for your efforts in ensuring that the process was successful and concluded in
time. I also want to thank all other people who were involved in the process who
worked so hard in order to make it possible for this agreement to be signed
today. It is my sincere hope that this spirit of hard work and partnership is
going to be sustained.
Finally, let me
conclude by re-affirming the commitment of the Government to utilize the
proceeds of this credit for the intended purpose. Further, I also want to
reassure you of our continued commitment towards strengthening the partnership
and friendly relationship between Tanzania and the World Bank.
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