JPM confirms Turkey role in railway project

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli yesterday confirmed that Turkey will be participating in the construction of the central railway project, living open China’s role in the huge infrastructure projeEct.

The President who hosted his Turkish counterpart Mr Recep Erdogan at bilateral talks at State House in Dar es Salaam revealed Turkey had been invited to construct 400 kilometres of the facility.

Magufuli said he had asked President Erdogan for a loan to help build the railway to link Dar es Salaam with neighbouring countries including Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.

“President Erdogan has accepted my request, saying it’s a small issue to him…however, we have also received a bid from a Turkish company that is keen on executing the project,” President Magufuli revealed, in his first public remarks on the alleged behind the scene lobbying between Turkey and China to lead in the investment.

The Tanzanian leader said they were sourcing for the funds from the Turkish Exim Bank. He however did not say how much money the deal would cost. The government plans to overhaul the nearly 1300 kilometres railway into a modern standard gauge railway as part of the industrialisation stratergy.

Initially, China appeared to have won the deal to assume construction through a consortium of its companies and pledged $7.6 billion for the entire project. A signed deal with Beijing however was thrown into doubt after the new governemnt overturned it following corruption concerns. A number of government officers are facing abuse of office charges over the claims.

President Magufuli and President Erdogan did not allude to the Chinese role but the public acknowledgement means Turkey is almost assured of its participation. All may not be lost for China, however, as nearly 900 kilometres of the railway will be up for grabs, if the specific reference of the 400kms by Dr Magufuli is anything to go by.

Efforts since last week to obtain comment from the Chinese embassy in Dar es Salaam have been futile. A source at the embassy told The Citizen that the embassy would not be immediately issuing statement on its involvement in the project. Tanzania’s turning to Turkey for participation would appear to confirm Dar policy change to seek for concessional loans from China, South Korea, India and Turkey after failing to get funding from the traditional western markets over stringet conditions and donor conditionalities.

Opposition leader Zitto Kabwe recently raised concern on what Turkey’s forey would mean for China-Dar bilateral relations but some analysts have dismissed such fears, saying the country was free to extend its tentacles in bilateral relations with more friendly nations.

Yesterday, the two presidents pledged to work together to enhance bilateral relations. President Erdogan also reached out to Tanzania to help him fight what he said was his administration’s enemies with establishments in Tanzania.

Tanzania needs to raise its stake as the balance of business was in favour of Turkey. The business volume between Tanzania and Turkey has increased from $66 million in 2013 to $190 million in last year.

Said Dr Magufuli: “They are also doing very well in the agriculture sector, holding the 7th position worldwide, therefore we have from them the right platform for learning.”

For his part, the Turkish President pledged continued support, saying his country is set to further its investments in Tanzania.

He said his government aims to increase investment volume in Tanzania from $150 million to $500 million.

President Erdogan promised to increase the number of scholarships offered to young Tanzanians to study in Turkey.

“We shall also increase opportunities for training of members of the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces in Turkey,” he said.

He also asked the Tanzania to support his government in the fight against terrorist group, Fetto, led by exiled Turkish preacher Ferthullah Gulen.

“We ask our friends from Tanzania to support us in our the fighting against terrorism in our country… it the same group that staged a coup d’etat against the government on July 15 last year, but the attempt failed after forces loyal to the democratic government defeated them,”

“The group is dangerous and is active in many countries under an umbrella of investing in social services including education and health, we want you to be carefully with them,” he said

Meanwhile, Tanzania and Turkey has inked nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on different areas of cooperation.

These MoUs cover sectors such as tourism, education, small and medium industries development, aviation, broadcasting, defence, industry, health as well as the cooperation between the Tanzania’s Centre for Diplomacy and the its counterpart in Turkey.

Speaking shortly after the event, the minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof Jumanne Maghembe, said the MoUs will deepen cooperation on the sector by increasing number of tourists to the country from Turkey.

The Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elders and Children Ms Ummy Mwalimu said the agreement will help to upgrade the Integrated Hospital Management Information System (IHMS) in public hospitals.