DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Tuesday approved a 361.1 million euros (about 390 million U.S. dollars) credit for the implementation of the second phase of the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP).
A statement by the World Bank said the second phase of the DMDP will involve the construction of more than 200 km of roads, and 300 km of drainage infrastructure, along with upgrading of markets, bus stands, parks, and key urban centers.
An agreement to the 361.1-million-euro credit was signed between the Tanzanian Minister for Finance, Mwigulu Nchemba, and the World Bank Country Director for Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Nathan Belete, in the port city of Dar es Salaam.
"Dar es Salaam is developing rapidly, and the services and infrastructure need to keep up with this growth, a fact that has been clear for decades," said Belete.
Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's largest urban area with a population of 5.4 million, said the statement, adding that its port provides Tanzania, and six neighboring landlocked countries with access to global markets.
It said the resulting trade economy, combined with a vibrant service sector, allows Dar es Salaam to contribute 17 percent to the national gross domestic product.
The World Bank released 300 million U.S. dollars for the implementation of the first phase of the DMDP which closed in early 2023. The first phase involved the construction of 207 km of roads and four bus stands, improving mobility for more than 3.5 million people. It also involved the construction of 75 km of drainage and three detention ponds, reducing floods for people living in over 400 hectares of flood-prone land, plus the construction of 10 markets and six public parks. ■