DAR ES SALAAM: Chinese construction firm CRJE (E.A) Ltd has pledged to support Tanzania’s long-term development ambitions through infrastructure investment, local skills development and environmentally sustainable construction.
The commitment was outlined at the Phoenix Global Development Forum for Enterprises–Tanzania, held in Dar es Salaam on October 3, 2026, where government officials, business leaders and academics discussed investment opportunities and ways to support the country’s development agenda.
The forum was co-organised by Phoenix TV and the Chinese Enterprises Association in Tanzania (CEAT), with CRJE participating in preparations as a member of the association’s leadership.
The discussions came as Tanzania advances its Development Vision 2050 (DIRA 2050), which seeks to build a prosperous, just, inclusive and self-reliant nation through economic transformation, human capital development, environmental sustainability and digitalisation.
For Tanzania, the challenge will be to translate these ambitions into infrastructure, productive investment and employment opportunities that improve living standards while supporting long-term economic growth.
CRJE Chairman Jiang Yuntao said the company intended to continue working with Tanzanian partners to contribute to the country’s development priorities, drawing on its experience in construction, transport infrastructure, energy, water and commercial property.
The forum was attended by Prof Kitila Mkumbo, Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment; UN Development Programme Resident Representative in Tanzania Shigeki Komatsubara; and Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian, who delivered opening remarks.
CRJE’s involvement in Tanzania dates back to the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), when its parent company, China Railway Construction Engineering Group (CRCEG), deployed 1,114 employees from 1969 to undertake building works along the railway.
The company says the work covered approximately 506,400 square metres of buildings, including 93 stations, maintenance facilities, a technical training school, hospitals, offices and staff accommodation.
Following the railway’s completion, a small team remained to undertake maintenance work. The company formally registered its Tanzania branch in Dar es Salaam in 2000 before adopting the name CRJE (E.A) Ltd in 2013 as its operations expanded.
The company’s history in Tanzania has therefore spanned several phases of infrastructure development, from railway construction to roads, bridges, ports, electricity infrastructure and commercial buildings.
One of its major projects is the Nyerere Bridge and its approach roads, which improved connectivity between Kurasini and Kigamboni, replacing reliance on ferry crossings along that route.
CRJE also cites its work at Mtwara Port, which it says helped improve port operations and facilitate the movement of agricultural produce and other goods from southern Tanzania.
Other projects include irrigation infrastructure in Iringa, electricity transmission lines serving communities in Geita, and the Terminal 1 VIP building.
In the hospitality sector, the company has participated in the construction of hotels including Kilimanjaro Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Gran Meliá in Arusha and Park Hyatt in Zanzibar. It also invested in and built Johari Rotana, the venue for the recent forum.
Such projects illustrate the role construction companies can play in expanding infrastructure and supporting tourism, trade and business services. However, their wider economic contribution will also depend on how effectively the facilities support productive activity, create local opportunities and meet public needs.
CRJE says more than 90 per cent of workers on its projects are Tanzanians, with the company also providing practical training to help develop local technical skills.
Last month, it launched the Chinese Workmanship for Tanzania Future Talent Development Programme, which it says is intended to strengthen skills development for future workers.
The emphasis on local employment and training comes as Tanzania seeks to build a workforce capable of supporting increasingly complex infrastructure and industrial projects.
Beyond employment, the company says it provides workplace mentoring and supports staff during significant personal events, while organising activities around Chinese and Tanzanian cultural celebrations to strengthen relationships among employees.
Environmental sustainability is another area the company says it intends to prioritise.
CRJE points to the Kinondoni Composting Plant, which it says can process 50 tonnes of waste daily, as an example of infrastructure intended to support waste management and improve urban environmental conditions.
The company also says it applies environmentally conscious construction practices to projects involving marine and grassland ecosystems, with an emphasis on protecting biodiversity.
Digitalisation is another potential area of cooperation as Tanzania pursues a development model that places greater emphasis on technology and productivity.
CRJE says it participated in the China High-Tech exhibition in May, presenting technology associated with tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and potential applications for the construction industry.
The company says it intends to continue exploring digital technologies and smart construction methods as part of its contribution to Tanzania’s development agenda.
Tanzania launched its National Development Vision 2050 in July 2025, establishing a long-term framework for economic and social transformation.
The subsequent signing of the TAZARA revitalisation project in September 2025, followed by a joint statement by China, Tanzania and Zambia in November on developing the TAZARA Prosperity Belt, also highlighted the railway’s potential role in regional connectivity and trade.
For Tanzania, the success of such initiatives will depend not only on the completion of infrastructure but also on the economic opportunities generated, the skills transferred to local workers and the sustainability of the resulting investments.
Jiang said CRJE would continue working with Tanzanian partners to contribute to the implementation of Vision 2050, maintaining that the company’s commitment to developing alongside Tanzania had remained unchanged despite shifts in its business and project portfolio.