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DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Saturday affirmed his government's commitment to construct a dry port in Mwanza region aimed at easing trade between Tanzania and Uganda.
Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Magufuli said that upon completion of the dry port construction, there will be no need for Ugandan traders travelling to the country's major port of Dar es Salaam, situated over 1,000 kilometers from Uganda.
"At the same time my government will repair MV Umoja in Lake Victoria to ease cargo transportation between Mwanza and Uganda," said the Tanzanian leader shortly after the signing of diplomatic agreements between the two East African countries.
Magufuli added that the two countries have also agreed to rehabilitate an 11-km road stretch from Port Bell in Lake Victoria to Kampala.
He said the Tanzanian government had also reduced truck check points to facilitate fast transportation of cargo between the two countries.
Magufuli commended trade growth between the two countries, saying statistics showed an increase from 89 million U.S. dollars in 2015 to 96.7 million dollars in 2016.
Magufuli said the two leaders also discussed the construction of the 1,403-km pipeline to transport crude oil from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga Port in Tanzania.
He ordered for immediate pipeline construction take-off, saying any minor issues will be resolved while construction activities were on progress. Enditem
