Kevin85ify
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 6, 2019
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Chinese firm 'gifted' oil licences
[IMG alt="
An Air Tanzania airplane. Photo/FILE"]https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/im...maxw/600/-/r1fy3pz/-/home+sub+2+pix.jpg[/IMG]
An Air Tanzania airplane. Photo/FILE
With Chinese firms operating in Tanzania already in the spotlight in the wake of the World Bank banning of three of them over a bribery scandal in the Phillipines, it has now emerged that some senior officials acted inappropriately in giving oil exploration rights to China Sonangol International Holding Ltd in exchange for the latter’s purchase of 49 per cent shares in the national airline.
Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) offered the Chinese government-owned Sonangol International rights for exploration in Rukwa in exchange for $21 million to purchase a plane.
In return, the sources said, the Chinese injected $21 million into ATCL, which was used to purchase two used Bombardier 70-seater Dash 8 Q400 turboprop aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace Inc. of Canada for $16.2 million each. The remainder of the funds for the purchase of the aircraft came from the government.
The term of agreement will also see Sonangol International buy Airbus and Embarer aircraft for ATCL. The Chinese company also has a 30 per cent shareholding in SonAir of Angola,
[IMG alt="
An Air Tanzania airplane. Photo/FILE"]https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/im...maxw/600/-/r1fy3pz/-/home+sub+2+pix.jpg[/IMG]
An Air Tanzania airplane. Photo/FILE
With Chinese firms operating in Tanzania already in the spotlight in the wake of the World Bank banning of three of them over a bribery scandal in the Phillipines, it has now emerged that some senior officials acted inappropriately in giving oil exploration rights to China Sonangol International Holding Ltd in exchange for the latter’s purchase of 49 per cent shares in the national airline.
Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) offered the Chinese government-owned Sonangol International rights for exploration in Rukwa in exchange for $21 million to purchase a plane.
In return, the sources said, the Chinese injected $21 million into ATCL, which was used to purchase two used Bombardier 70-seater Dash 8 Q400 turboprop aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace Inc. of Canada for $16.2 million each. The remainder of the funds for the purchase of the aircraft came from the government.
The term of agreement will also see Sonangol International buy Airbus and Embarer aircraft for ATCL. The Chinese company also has a 30 per cent shareholding in SonAir of Angola,