China donates 29.4bn/- to boost three key sectors

CHRISTINA MSEJA

PERMANENT Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Mr James Doto (second left) and Mr Gou Haodong, chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, show signed documents where the government of the People’s Republic of China will provide grants amounting to 29.4 billion/- to support implementation of activities in the education, tourism and sports sectors in the country, in Dar es Salaam, yesterday. Right is Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ms Amina Shaban and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Mr Leonard Akwilapo (second right). (Photo by Mohamed Mambo)

CHINA has provided 29.4bn/- to Tanzania to boost three key sectors of education, tourism and sports. Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Finance and Planning James Doto said at a signing ceremony held in Dar es Salaam yesterday, that the aim of the donation is to revitalise the country’s economy.

He commended the Chinese government for its as sistance to Tanzania towards accelerating economic growth and improving the welfare of the people. The donation is meant for provision of grants to support the construction of a new Vocational Training Centre in Kagera Region worth US dollars 10m or 22.4bn/-.

“The assistance will involve the construction of 19 classrooms that will accommodate 400 students, nine training workshops for building capacity in electronics, plumbing, carpentry, masonry and painting,” he said.

“The support will be crucial as it complements efforts by the government to provide vocational skills needed for the people to actively participate in the manufacturing sector. “The skills provided will enable the beneficiaries to participate in entrepreneurial activities and contribute to ad dressing the challenge of unemployment in our country.”

According to the PS, the second exchange of letter was for provision of technical and financial support to the China Aided National Stadium. “The exchange of letter we are signing today is a sixth phase of this technical cooperation whereby the government of China has been providing since the construction of the 60,000 people seater stadium,” Doto said.

The third exchange of letter, he said, is for provision of Chinese experts to undertake feasibility study for the establishment of Geopark Project in Ngorongoro National Park, which will cost 300m/-.

He said that one of the successful cases of Global Geopark Initiative was the Jiaozuo of Yuntaishan Global Geopark in China that was established in 2000 leading to an annual in crease of 37.2 per cent of the tourism industry, thus contributing to 12 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“We are indeed proud of the assistance from the People’s Republic of China, which has remained reliable even during the most challenging times,” he said. Acting Ambassador of China to Tanzania, Gou Haodong, said China would continue cooperating with Tanzania in the improvement of tourism, sports and education so as to bring economic development to Tanzanians.

“Through the projects, for example, in tourism we will be happy to see Chinese coming to Tanzania because of many attractive places like Ngorongoro. We are also the largest investor in sports for ongoing improvement of the National Stadium,” the Chinese envoy said.