DODOMA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- High-ranking officials from the governments of Tanzania and Burundi on Friday discussed progress on preparations for implementing the joint standard gauge railway (SGR) project linking the two countries.

A statement by Tanzania's Ministry of Finance said the discussions took place in the capital of Dodoma between Minister of Finance Mwigulu Nchemba and Burundian Minister of Infrastructure, Equipment and Social Housing Dieudonne Dukundane.

The statement said that experts from both countries were preparing for the construction of the SGR project linking the two countries. The two ministers emphasized that completing the SGR project would stimulate economic growth between the neighboring countries.

In February, the African Development Bank and the government of Tanzania signed a 158.1-million-U.S.-dollar loan agreement for constructing the SGR project connecting Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.