The Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA) hosted a delegation from GED Africa, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Klaus Findt, at the Central Corridor Secretariat in Dar es Salaam for a strategic engagement aimed at exchanging experiences and exploring opportunities for collaboration in advancing transformative transport and trade facilitation infrastructure initiatives along the Central Corridor.
The meeting brought together key Central Corridor stakeholders from Tanzania, including representatives from the Ministry of Transport, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), DP World, and the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), reflecting the strategic importance of the discussions for regional connectivity, trade facilitation, and economic integration.
During the meeting, GED Africa presented progress on the Kasomeno–Mwenda Road Project and the development of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The presentation highlighted major milestones achieved over the past 12 months, including the commencement of key construction contracts for the road, bridge, and OSBP infrastructure, the successful mobilization of project financing, and the approval of the OSBP Operational Manual by both Governments.
Discussions emphasized the strategic impact of the project on the Central Corridor, particularly its potential to strengthen trade flows between the Port of Dar es Salaam and the Democratic Republic of the Congo via Zambia by providing a shorter, faster, and more efficient transport route. Once completed, the project is expected to reduce the roundtrip distance for transporters by approximately 500 kilometres, improve logistics efficiency, lower transport costs, enhance the safety of cargo movement, and contribute to increased cargo volumes through the Central Corridor. The initiative is also expected to support regional integration and unlock new economic opportunities for businesses and communities along the Corridor.
The meeting further underscored the importance of sustainability and inclusive development, with GED Africa presenting several community-focused initiatives linked to the project, including livelihood restoration programmes, climate-smart agriculture, financial literacy, women empowerment, road safety, healthcare, education, and employment facilitation initiatives aimed at improving the socio-economic wellbeing of local communities.