Tanzania plans to build the fifth international airport in Dodoma, the country's capital city, the prime minister said Monday.

Kassim Majaliwa unveiled the plan when speaking at the official launch of the new route from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma for the national flag carrier -- Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL). The new route has been launched after the completion of the expansion of the small airport in Dodoma.

The prime minister said that construction of the proposed airport is part of the fifth-phase government's mission of improving air transport in the east African nation.

Majaliwa said that the new international airport will be built in Msalato area, located 14 km from Dodoma city and upon its completion will make Tanzania to have five international airports -- Julius Nyerere International Airport (Dar es Salaam), Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), Songwe International Airport (Mbeya), and Mwanza International Airport.

The current Dodoma airport facility can only accommodate small and mid-sized planes.

He said the move is line with the Tanzania's move of shifting government offices from the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.

"This will make Dodoma busy, hence the need for having international airport remain important," he said, adding that the new development will stimulate socio-economic development in the central Tanzania's regions.

The new development comes at the time when Tanzanian government plans to have seven fleets including Boeing 787 Dreamliner by 2018.

So far, Tanzanian government has acquired two Bombardier Q400 planes, which are now operated by national flag carrier.

(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2017)