Tanzania seeking India funding for urban metro project

Tanzania is seeking funding from India to build a metro rail network in its commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, the president's office said in a statement on Saturday.

Dar es Salaam, with a population of over 4 million, is one of the fastest-growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa, but like many other African cities it faces a crippling traffic congestion problem.

President Jakaya Kikwete said in the statement that India's Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) had expressed interest to invest in the metro rail. He did not say how much the metro project would cost.

The Tanzanian president met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday and made an official request for funding for the project.