DAR ES SALAAM, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) on Thursday commended Tanzanian President John Magufuli for overseeing bold economic reforms in the east African nation.
A statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communication at State House in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam said the commendation was made by AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina during talks with Magufuli.
The statement said Adesina described Tanzania's steady economic growth of an annual average of 7 percent as one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
The AfDB chief also praised Magufuli for what he termed as exemplary leadership and safeguarding the welfare and interest of his people, according to the statement.
The statement added that Adesina paid tribute to President Magufuli for forging ahead cordial relations with his neighboring countries including Uganda.
He said Tanzania's mutual relations with Uganda culminated into the signing of an agreement on the construction of the multi-million U.S. dollar crude oil pipeline from the port of Tanga in Tanzania to Hoima in Uganda covering 1,443 km in collaboration with the private sector.
On development projects, Adesina said the AfDB has so far funded various projects in the country valued at 4.55 trillion Tanzanian shillings (about 1.98 billion U.S. dollars).
The AfDB recently approved funding for the construction of a 110-km outer ring road and the construction of an international airport in the capital Dodoma.
In addition, said the statement, Adesina commended Magufuli for the construction of the standards gauge railway.
For his part, Magufuli thanked the AfDB for agreeing to support the implementation of other infrastructure projects, including roads and power generation in northwestern Tanzania and expansion of the bus rapid transit ystem in Dar es Salaam. Enditem
