The Project for Rehabilitation of Kigoma Port (Grant Aid)
2022/2/4
Kigoma Port Cargo Wharf (Existing)
Kigoma Port Passenger Wharf (Existing)
On the 4th of February, in Dar es Salaam of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Exchange of Notes (E/N) for the grant aid project namely, “The Project for Rehabilitation of Kigoma Port ”, were signed by H.E. Mr. GOTO Shinichi, Ambassador of Japan in the United Republic of Tanzania and the East African Community (EAC) and Mr. Emmanuel Mpawe TUTUBA, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Planning of the United Republic of Tanzania. In this project, the Government of Japan will extend a grant aid of up to 2.726 billion Yen (approximately 55 billion TZS).
- The Port of Kigoma is located on Lake Tanganyika in the West of Tanzania, and borders Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Burundi. This port serves as a hub for traffic originating in Tanzania especially from Dar es Salaam. Cargo can be transported by road or rail from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, then exported via lake vessels to the ports of Mpulungu (Zambia), Uvira, Kalemie, Baraka, and Moba in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Port of Bujumbura in Burundi.
- Even though Kigoma port is such an important international port, its facilities have deteriorated since the development of the port more than one hundred years ago. The Government of Tanzania also understands the necessity of rehabilitation of this port as stipulated in the 5 year development plans. The rehabilitation of this port is crucial to the economic development of Tanzania as well as the regional economy.
- The purpose of this grant project is to facilitate the recent growing demand for transport in the Kigoma Port and therefore, both the passenger wharf and the cargo wharf will be rehabilitated. With the Democratic Republic of Congo being on the verge of joining the East Africa Community (EAC), this project will play a huge part to harmonize the business environment between these two countries and beyond.
- In addition, this project falls under the TICAD7 agenda of “Quality Infrastructure to Promote Connectivity” and it is also linked to Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP*) vision by connecting Tanzania with the Republic of Congo, Zambia and Burundi.
Kigoma Port Passenger Wharf (Existing)
About FOIP
*The Vision for “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”
Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) is an umbrella term that encompasses Indo-Pacific-specific strategies of countries with similar interests in the region. The concept has been developed through Japanese and American cooperation.
In order for the partnership between Japan and Africa to prosper, regional integration to establish a Customs Union for the free movement of goods, people, and capital is crucial. And this goes hand-in-hand with Japan’s effort for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”. FOIP vision acknowledges that a key for stability and prosperity of the international community is dynamism that is created by combining “Two Continents” - Asia that is rapidly growing and Africa that possess huge potential of growth; and the “Two Oceans”- Free and open Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.
In Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) efforts, Japan aims to promote peace, stability and prosperity across the region to make the Indo-Pacific free and open as “international public goods”, through ensuring rules-based international order including the rule of law, freedom of navigation and over flight, peaceful settlement of disputes, and promotion of free trade. Furthermore, FOIP aims to improve connectivity between Asia, the Middle East and Africa through free and open Indo-Pacific, and promote stability and prosperity of the region as a whole.
In efforts to achieve this vision, Japan promises to provide nation-building support in the area of development as well as politics and governance, in a way that respects the ownership of African countries, and not by forcing on or intervening in them, which is the philosophy TICAD of “Ownership and International Partnership”.
Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) is an umbrella term that encompasses Indo-Pacific-specific strategies of countries with similar interests in the region. The concept has been developed through Japanese and American cooperation.
In order for the partnership between Japan and Africa to prosper, regional integration to establish a Customs Union for the free movement of goods, people, and capital is crucial. And this goes hand-in-hand with Japan’s effort for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”. FOIP vision acknowledges that a key for stability and prosperity of the international community is dynamism that is created by combining “Two Continents” - Asia that is rapidly growing and Africa that possess huge potential of growth; and the “Two Oceans”- Free and open Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.
In Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) efforts, Japan aims to promote peace, stability and prosperity across the region to make the Indo-Pacific free and open as “international public goods”, through ensuring rules-based international order including the rule of law, freedom of navigation and over flight, peaceful settlement of disputes, and promotion of free trade. Furthermore, FOIP aims to improve connectivity between Asia, the Middle East and Africa through free and open Indo-Pacific, and promote stability and prosperity of the region as a whole.
In efforts to achieve this vision, Japan promises to provide nation-building support in the area of development as well as politics and governance, in a way that respects the ownership of African countries, and not by forcing on or intervening in them, which is the philosophy TICAD of “Ownership and International Partnership”.