Mwinyi woos Serbian investors
ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR President Hussein Mwinyi has urged Serbian investors to explore opportunities in Tanzania as the two countries move towards establishing a Joint Economic Commission to strengthen trade and investment ties.
President Mwinyi made the call on Monday during a meeting with the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led by its Vice-President Mihailo Vesović, saying the longstanding friendship between Tanzania and Serbia should translate into greater economic cooperation through trade, investment and joint ventures.
He said Tanzania, including Zanzibar, offered investment opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, tourism and the blue economy.
Tanzania has production potential in crops including maize, sunflower, cashew nuts and cotton, while Zanzibar offers opportunities in spices, horticulture and seaweed, he said.
Dr Mwinyi encouraged investors to focus on processing and value addition to increase returns from agricultural production and strengthen exports.
He also highlighted opportunities to produce goods that Tanzania currently imports, including fertilisers, medicines, edible oils and wheat, saying Serbian companies could invest in local production to serve the Tanzanian market.
In tourism, Dr Mwinyi said Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar could be promoted as a single destination, combining attractions such as the Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro with Zanzibar’s beaches.
He assured Serbian investors that the Tanzanian government is ready to facilitate trade and follow up on investment proposals to ensure mutually beneficial partnerships.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo said the planned Joint Economic Commission will provide a framework for expanding cooperation in trade, investment and financial services.
He said Tanzania has presented Serbian businesses with investment opportunities aimed at encouraging partnerships and joint ventures.
Vesović said Serbian companies were ready to explore investment opportunities in Tanzania.
The proposed commission is expected to provide a formal framework for strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
Meanwhile President Mwinyi called on members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to strengthen their collective voice in global decision-making and better defend the interests of developing countries.
He made the remarks in Belgrade on Tuesday while delivering a speech on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan at a special high-level meeting marking 65 years since the first NAM Heads of State Summit.
President Mwinyi said the principles on which NAM was founded in 1961 remained relevant, stressing that non-alignment represented the right of countries to make independent decisions based on their national interests while safeguarding their sovereignty.
He called for conflicts to be resolved through dialogue and mediation, alongside efforts to address their underlying causes, including injustice, inequality and lack of inclusiveness.
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He also urged reforms to the United Nations system, including the UN Security Council, and international financial institutions to give developing countries greater representation and ensure they respond more effectively to their needs.
Dr Mwinyi said Africa deserved stronger and fairer representation in global decision-making and called for greater South-South Cooperation, including closer engagement between NAM and BRICS on development financing and global governance reforms.
He said Tanzania would continue supporting a united NAM that promotes peace, the right to development and a more equitable international order.
The meeting, held under the theme “The Legacy of Non-Alignment: Lessons for Today’s World,” was officially opened by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and attended by Heads of Government and Heads of Delegation from 34 countries.
The gathering marked 65 years since the first NAM Heads of State or government Conference was held in Belgrade in 1961.
