Project completion demonstrates strong bilateral relations, says Egypt PM

RUFIJI: EGYPTIAN Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has described the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) as “a dream of a great Tanzania that has come true,” saying its completion demonstrates the strong bilateral relations between the two countries.

Speaking yesterday during the commissioning of the landmark project in Rufiji, Coast Region, Mr Madbouly conveyed President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s congratulations to President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Tanzanian people.

“To the brotherly Tanzanian people, I offer my sincere congratulations on this great achievement,” he said, conveying the Egyptian President’s message.

Mr Madbouly described JNHPP as one of Africa’s major dam-based electricity projects, ranking fourth in terms of installed generation capacity.

He said the successful completion of the project opened a new chapter for Tanzania-Egypt relations, providing an opportunity for the two countries to expand cooperation beyond the energy sector.

“After the successful completion of this Nyerere project, we will transition to a new phase of bilateral cooperation in the economic sector,” Mr Madbouly said.

He called for greater involvement of the private sector in various economic fields to increase trade and investment between the two countries.

“This includes increasing the volume of trade exchange between our two countries and emphasising the importance of bilateral support by involving the private sector in various economic fields,” he said.

The JNHPP, with an installed generation capacity of 2,115 megawatts, is a major addition to Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity and a key component of the country’s efforts to strengthen reliable power supply.

Mr Madbouly said the project is a clear demonstration of close cooperation between Tanzania and Egypt, particularly through the participation of Egyptian companies in its construction.

“Today, we stand here as witnesses to Tanzania’s determination and its intent to utilise Egypt’s expertise and experience,” he said.

He said the project demonstrates how cooperation between African countries could contribute to economic progress and sustainable development.

The project was implemented over about 42 months at a cost of 2.9 billion US dollars (over 7tri/-), with Egyptian companies Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric involved in its construction.

Mr Madbouly congratulated the two companies for their contribution to the implementation of what he described as a historic project in Tanzania.

He also highlighted President el-Sisi’s visit to Dar es Salaam on July 18, saying it provided an opportunity for Tanzanian and Egyptian businesspeople to explore new areas of cooperation.

The areas identified included construction, roads, maritime transport, ports, logistics, agriculture, land reclamation and energy.

Mr Madbouly assured Tanzania that Egypt remained committed to strengthening cooperation with the country and other African nations.

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“We want to build a better today and a better future and to shape a superior destiny,” he said.

He said Cairo respects Dodoma’s positions on various regional issues of mutual interest and expresses Egypt’s expectation that Tanzania would continue cooperating with other Nile Basin countries.

Implementation of JNHPP started in June 2019 and was completed in March 2025.