Japan International Cooperation Agency delegation visits EAC headquarters
A Japanese delegation led by Hajime Iwama, Director, Africa Division 2 in charge of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Tanzania program, Africa Department; Kenji Isomoto, JICA Technical Advisor; and, Kimanari Takahashi, Team Leader of JICA Study among others paid a working visit to the EAC Headquarters on Friday, 25 September to discuss funding for the completion of the dualling of the road from Tengeru to Usa in Arusha, rehabilitation of the Usa-Holili section including complete re-location of the dangerous Kikafu Bridge and the feasibility study.
The EAC Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Dr Enos Bukuku welcomed the delegation to the EAC and noted that their visit was adding to the recent three visits made by the new JICA Chief Representative in Tanzania, the Ambassador Extraordinary, and Plenipotentiary and the Deputy Ambassador of Japan to Tanzania, all aimed at cementing the cordial relationships not only between Japan and Tanzania but also between Japan and the East African Community.
“It is in recognition of the need for facilitating integrated, efficient and cost-effective transport systems along the EAC Corridors that the Government of Japan, through JICA, accepted the request made by the East African Community in May 2014 to support the rehabilitation of the Tengeru-Holili road section”, affirmed Dr Bukuku, adding that “the current constructions cover only 14.1km out of the envisaged 22.3km to Usa. This means that there is a gap of around 8.2km to be upgraded to dual carriageway”.
The Tengeru-Holili road section has no Project Affected Persons and, therefore, no resettlement issues. “However, it has a very special safety consideration in particular at Kikafu Bridge”.
Dr Bukuku highlighted and urged that the JICA Study Team critically reviews the provisions of the current design and addresses all constraints that could become impediments to smooth flow of local and transit traffic along the road.
Although the project section is wholly located in Tanzania, it has corridor-wide / regional impacts on traffic flows as it links the Northern Corridor, the Trans African Highway No. 8 (Great North Road) and ultimately, the Central Corridor. It will also be a link to Rwanda and Burundi from the Port of Mombasa.
The project road has been designed to conform to the EAC agreed standards, which are hybrids of existing standards among EAC Partner States. The EAC standards have been adopted through harmonisation framework contained in the East African Transport Facilitation Strategy.
The Deputy Secretary-General thanked the Japanese Government for the interest shown in this project and requested that JICA considers providing a grant component to the funding support, especially for the Kikafu Bridge.
“The grant assistance we seek for the Kikafu Bridge and associated approach roads will enhance the symbolism of the Japanese emotional connection to the site, which has been an annual pilgrimage area for Japanese visitors to Tanzania”.
The JICA Director for Tanzania, Mr Hajime Iwama, expressed his gratitude for the generous hospitality the delegation received from EAC and restated that the main purpose of their visit was to ensure smooth running and kickoff of the rehabilitation operations and feasibility study respectively.