Ministers for Infrastructure of Rwanda and Tanzania yesterday met in
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to consider implementation of the countries’
joint 521kilometre Isaka-Kigali Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project
which is estimated to cost $2.5 billion.
Besides adoption of feasibility studies already conducted in the two
countries, key outcomes also include an agreement to lay the foundation
stone by October, and the two countries jointly mobilizing funds for
construction of the joint project with each country meeting the cost of
infrastructure in its own territory.
A related joint communiqué indicates that James Musoni, Rwanda’s
minister of infrastructure, was invited to visit Tanzania from Friday to
Saturday, by his counterpart, Prof. Makame Mbarwa, Tanzania’s minister
of works, transport and communications.
On Saturday, the two ministers held a meeting to arrange the
implementation of the two countries’ Presidents given on January 14 that
ministers responsible for transport in the two countries meet within
two weeks to deliberate on how to implement construction of the joint
railway line.
“The Ministers meeting was preceded by the meeting of the Permanent
Secretaries responsible for transport of the two countries and the
Permanent Secretary of Finance and Planning of Tanzania, reads part
of the communiqué.
“The Ministers reiterated their strong commitment to further
strengthen the relationship for the mutual benefits of the two countries
and their people and the prevailing commitment to realize the
implementation of the Isaka-Kigali railway project and its significance
to reduce transport cost, foster physical integration of transport
modes, economic growth and improved social services in the sub
region.
The meeting was also attended by Tanzania’s minister of Foreign
Affairs and East Africa Cooperation, Dr. Augustine Mahiga, and other
senior government officials from both countries.
Deliberations were on key implementation issues of the project,
including: progress already made by Tanzania on construction of the SGR –
from Dar to Morogoro and from Morogoro to Makutupora; and they also
agreed to adopt the railway feasibility studies already conducted in the
two countries.
The ministers adopted the proposed project delivery method of design
and build similar to the Dar to Morogoro and Morogoro to Makutupora SGR
project for purpose of uniformity of standards.
“Issues regarding train operations and track access shall be agreed in future separately,†reads the joint communiqué.
Furthermore, the ministers agreed on the proposal to adopt the setup
of the existing joint technical monitoring committee for the Dar-Isaka
to Kigali or Keza-Musongati (DIKKM) project reduced to Tanzania and
Rwanda.
They adopted the proposed timeline towards implementation of the
Presidents’ directives so as to lay the foundation stone by October,
2018.
Rwanda and Tanzania agreed on joint construction of the SGR from
Isaka (northwestern Tanzania) to Kigali, to facilitate movement of goods
and services, following a meeting between Presidents Paul Kagame and
John Pombe Magufuli, during the former’s one-day working visit to
Dar-es-Salaam, mid this month.
After the leaders’ meeting, President Magufuli, among others, said
they want the construction “to start immediately because the
feasibility studies and designs are complete.
Nearly 80 per cent of Rwanda’s imports and exports go through Tanzania.
Sources say both countries ministers of finance are scheduled to meet
in Dar on January 29 on the same project and to discuss on the finance
mechanism of the joint project.
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