The African Development Fund (ADF) has approved a $245m loan to Tanzania to help upgrade two roads to improve cross-border trade with neighbouring countries and boost tourism.

The roads, both part of the regional corridor, include the 260km Iringa-Dodoma road and the 193km Namtumbo-Tunduru road, which are undergoing a $371m renovation.

When finished, the Iringa-Dodoma Road will link up with the Central Corridor, which connects the Dar es Salaam port to Rwanda, Burundi and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Iringa-Dodoma Road is also an important link to three corridors; the North-South Corridor, the South African Development Community Regional Trunk Road Network and the Trans-Africa Highway from Cape Town to Cairo, which link the southern African countries with eastern and northern Africa.