DAR ES SALAAM, July 5 (NNN-DAILYNEWS) —TANZANIA and Korea have pledged to deepen their bilateral cooperation in infrastructure development, with a focus on fostering inclusive growth, enhancing economic competitiveness and promoting sustainable development.
They expressed the commitment during the Korea- Tanzania Key Infrastructure Project Seminar held on Thursday in Dar es Salaam, which brought together Korean companies, investors and key ministries from Tanzania, including Water, Energy and Transport.
Speaking at the event, the Director for Asia Australasia Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Felister Rugambwa, underscored the value of Korea’s continued engagement in strategic development areas.
Rugambwa, who represented the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahamoud Thabit Kombo, said Korea’s cooperation in infrastructure and other priority sectors aligns with Tanzania’s long term development goals.
“We highly appreciate the ongoing support from Korea, particularly in critical infrastructure sectors. This cooperation contributes significantly to our national efforts toward realising inclusive and sustainable development,” she said.
The seminar was aimed to explore investment opportunities and foster stronger public-private partnerships between the two countries, particularly in the context of Tanzania’s growing infrastructure needs.
“As Tanzania intensifies its efforts to achieve sustainable development through industrialisation and innovation, the continued support from Korea in strategic areas such as education, health, digital transformation, energy, water infrastructure and capacity building remains invaluable in realising our national development aspirations,” said Rugambwa.
She reaffirmed government’s continued commitments and steadfastness in facilitating the existing bilateral cooperation between Tanzania and Korea for mutual benefits.
In her remarks, the Korean Ambassador to Tanzania Eunju Ahn expressed her government’s dedication in helping the country to realise its sustainable development through infrastructure which are key enabler of economic development.
She said that as Tanzania enters a new financial year and prepares for a significant advancement under its Development Vision 2050, the importance of the infrastructure sector in strengthening bilateral relations cannot be overstated.
“As we all know, infrastructure has a powerful multiplier effect, bringing long-lasting dividends across various sectors of society. It contributes to capacity building and job creation during the construction phase and once completed, it becomes the backbone of society, driving economic competitiveness, inclusive growth and improved living standards, “said Ambassador Ahn.
She recounted on President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s visit to Korea in June last year as a fruitful visit as Korea significantly increased its concessional loan commitment to Tanzania by 2.5 US billion dollars, to be disbursed by 2028.
Reflecting on President Samia’s recent speech to Parliament, where she highlighted Tanzania’s remarkable infrastructure achievements including roads, railways, bridges and hydropower Ambassador Ahn underscored that Korea takes pride in its significant contributions.
She specifically mentioned that Korean companies have provided consulting and management services for key projects, such as the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and the JP Magufuli Bridge.
Ahn further encouraged Korean companies and investors to identify key areas for future partnerships, but also calling on Tanzania to continue relying on Korean firms and cooperation built on enduring friendship.
In their presentation to Korean companies, representatives from the Ministry for Water, Energy and works provided Tanzania’s projects in all sectors and priority areas for funding as well as welcoming investors in the viable opportunities. — NNN-DAILYNEWS
