Tanzania lowers 2020 growth projection amid coronavirus outbreak

Tanzania's economy is expected to expand by 4 percent in 2020, less than an earlier projection of 6.9% due to the impact of the coronavirus, the finance minister said. The outbreak has had a particularly big impact on the country's tourism industry, a major source of revenues and employment.

The minister, Philip Mpango, told parliament on Friday the government had revised its growth projection downwards "due to the impact of the coronavirus on the different sectors," without going into further details. Tanzania, which has not imposed a widespread lockdown, has reported 544 infections and 21 related deaths as of Saturday.