DAR ES SALAAM, July 9 (NNN-DAILYNEWS) — THE Tanzanian government has secured the release of one of its planes that was seized in the Netherlands.
Director of Information Services and Chief Government Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa told reporters on Satuday that the Air Tanzania A220-300 aircraft that was impounded in Netherlands by foreign investors, returned back to the country on Friday.
“Our aircraft is back from the Netherlands where it was being held by some investors,” disclosed Msigwa while fielding questions from Tanzanians.
The aircraft was seized in the Netherlands in December last year, in accordance with a Swedish firm’s tribunal plea.
In the dispute, the arresting party – a private Swedish legal entity, claimed that Tanzania must pay $165 million in damages, over the African country’s move to revoke a land title in 2016 in the multibillion-dollar sugar project in Bagamoyo.
The land title revocation was a major blow to the Swedish company, which had for over ten years worked to develop the project and invested $52 million in a ready-to-go project for local production of sugar, renewable electricity and fuel.
“The good news is that one of our planes is back and it is only a matter of time before ATCL breaks even,” Msigwa assured.
In the same vein, the Government Spokesperson maintained that the Dar es Salaam Port wasn’t sold as it was claimed by some quarters.
Msigwa deemed such claims as baseless and unfounded.
He reiterated that Tanzania had only entered into an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the Emirate of Dubai on running the port of Dar es Salaam.
“I want to assure you that this will be a win-win situation, after the IGA we will have the Host Government Agreement and other procedures would follow in later stages,” he said.
Msigwa urged Tanzanians to ignore false reports that the port had been sold to DP World.
The reputable firm, is credited for handling 190 ports in 68 countries around the world.
Last month, the Parliament unanimously endorsed the Resolution on the IGA concerning partnership on ports developments, arguing that the agreement is crucial for transforming the port sector.
The IGA aims at developing, improving, managing and operating the sea and lake ports in areas like special economic zones, logistic parks and trade corridors.
Speaking recently during the open virtue symposium ‘clubhouse’, the Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Works and Transport, Adv Mohamed Salum allayed fears to the public that the IGA is a framework agreement which is not eternal.
“This contract is a framework agreement; it does not talk about the time or even the figures that are going to be invested…the duration of the contracts would be unveiled in project agreements apart from this framework agreement…the contract is not forever as explained in Article 23 of the IGA,” Adv Salum underlined.
Adding: “The duration of the contract will depend on the assessment of the projects agreement done by the government and investor, before the implementation of the project.”Moreover, he added that the procedure for the investment on concession agreements, the investment period is directly compatible with the level of investment, adding that the level of investment will determine the duration of the investment.
In particular, the Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Works and Transport, underscored that the Dar es Salam port is in safe hands, adding no privatisation is going to be made. — NNN-DAILYNEWS
