Zanzibar to benefit from 7 China-sponsored projects

Tanzania's semi- autonomous Zanzibar is expected to benefit from seven economic projects to be funded by China following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Tanzania last month, a senior official said on Friday.The projects include the construction of a new Maruhub harbor on Zanzibar's main island, the expansion of Karume airport on Pemba island and the improvement of water facilities and services through non-conditional loans from the Chinese government.Omar Yusuf Mzee, state minister in the President's Office of Finance, Economy and Development Planning, made the revelation in a report to Zanzibar's House of Representatives.Other projects include the introduction of a center for fisheries training, investment in the deep sea and joint investment on industrial products.Mzee said China would also provide Zanzibar with financial credit for the improvement of Planning Commission and employment projects."The completion construction of Maruhub harbor would mobilize trade bearing in mind that the Zanzibar port could serve well for transit goods and thus boost Zanzibar's economy," he said, adding that the expansion of Pemba airport would provide opportunity for big passenger planes to land on the island, enabling tourists from Mombasa to visit Pemba and create more job opportunities for youths.Negotiations regarding the projects are going on and agreements are expected to be signed soon between the Chinese and Zanzibari government, the minister said.Zanzibar has also achieved three major projects from 16 agreements signed between Tanzania and China, which include economic and technical cooperation between China and Zanzibar, the rehabilitation and upgrading of China-aided Abdulla Mzee Hospital in Pemba and two scanners provided by China for container inspection at Zanzibar port.