ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi announced on Tuesday night that the Zanzibar Archipelago has secured 9 billion Tanzanian shillings (about 3.4 million U.S. dollars) for the renovation of buildings in the historic Stone Town.
The announcement was made during the Stone Town Day celebrations at Forodhani, located on Unguja Island along the Indian Ocean coast.
Mwinyi said the funds, donated by the Dubai-based real estate development firm Infinity Group, will be used to extensively renovate dilapidated buildings within Stone Town during the 2024/2025 financial year.
Mwinyi added that the government was seeking additional funding from various stakeholders to ensure adequate resources to assist citizens in improving their buildings in Stone Town, which are believed to be over 194 years old.
He urged the residents of Stone Town to continue protecting the town to ensure its preservation for the next 100 years.
Stone Town, designated as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2000, is a prime example of the Swahili coastal trading towns of East Africa. It retains its urban fabric and townscape largely intact, with many fine buildings reflecting a unique culture that blends African, Arab, Indian, and European influences accumulated over more than a millennium.
