DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has held talks with Russia's leading railways firm over improvement of the east African nation's railway transportation in six major cities, a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said on Wednesday.
The statement said Majaliwa held talks with Alexander Misharin, the chief executive officer of state-run Russian Railways, in Sochi, the venue for the Russia-Africa summit.
Majaliwa said Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Dodoma, Arusha, Mbeya and Tanga cities needed to improve their transportation systems through the construction of railways that will facilitate transport for growing urban populations, said the statement.
The statement said the Russian Railways was an experienced firm with massive capacity to construct new railway lines, renovate worn-out rail tracks and repair defective locomotive engines.
"The Russian Railways can also help Tanzania in efforts aimed at reviving the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority and the central railway line that connects Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions," the statement quoted the premier as saying.
For his part, Misharin said his firm was ready to establish joint ventures on the development and revival of railways with Tanzanian investors in order to impart the technology to locals.
