DAR ES SALAAM, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday officially laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Kwala Industrial Park.

Located in Kibaha District of the Coast Region, the industrial park is a joint initiative between Group Six International and Arise Integrated Industrial Platform, and it covers 2,500 acres, with a goal of hosting more than 200 factories, Janson Huang, chairman of the Kwala Industrial Park, said in an interview with Xinhua.

According to Huang, the project aims to transform Tanzania into a leading hub for trade, manufacturing, and clean-energy innovation.

"Already, 12 factories are here, seven of them operational and five under construction," said Huang, adding that the park currently employs over 1,000 Tanzanians, with the number expected to reach 5,000 by the end of 2026.

Among its future-facing goals, the park is set to support battery manufacturing for electric vehicles, aligning with global efforts to reduce carbon emissions by 2050, he said.

Huang also confirmed partnerships focused on adding value to critical minerals.

He noted that in collaboration with the Tanzanian government, the fully completed park seeks to create over 50,000 direct jobs and 250,000 indirect jobs, attract up to 3 billion U.S. dollars in foreign and domestic investment, generate 6 billion dollars in annual output of manufactured goods, and boost value-added exports to 2 billion dollars. ■