DAR ES SALAAM: MINISTER for Industry and Trade, Dr Selemani Jafo, has urged local businesses and investors to produce quality products to take advantage of the competitive market opportunities in over 50 countries worldwide
. Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, during the opening of the World Competition Day (WCD), the minister said that competition plays a crucial role in ensuring the availability of high-quality products in the market.
“Beyond the domestic market, we have a vast market in East Africa, the SADC region and the African Free Trade Area. Within this African market, Tanzanian businesses can trade with more than 50 countries. This is a huge opportunity for Tanzanians and traders,” Dr Jafo noted.
He urged entrepreneurs to explore how they can leverage various markets abroad, particularly in Europe, China and Angola.
“In the Angolan market, we have been given the opportunity to sell over 6,500 products, but our sales have not grown significantly, meaning they do not reflect the reality of the products we have,” he said.
He added: “Various countries have benefitted from the Angola market expansion. For instance, South Africa has sold products worth over 2.6 billion US dollars (about 5.2tri/- ), which is a substantial amount.” In comparison, Tanzania has reached an average of 85 million US dollars (about 223bn/-).
Dr Jafo said Tanzania still has a lot of work to do to benefit from the available market. “We have many products to offer,” he said.
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The Minister expressed gratitude to the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) for ensuring the quick handling of cargo for investors and businesses to help speed up their operations.
“The investments made at the Dar es Salaam Port have increased efficiency in cargo handling, which is crucial for ensuring smooth operations of businesses and guaranteeing fair competition,” he said.
He instructed the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary to examine any legal or regulatory challenges hindering businesses from participating in competitive markets and address them promptly.
The Fair Competition Commission Board Chairperson, Dr Aggrey Mlimuka, said that the National Celebration of World Competition Day in Tanzania began 13 years ago but was not given as much weight until the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration.
“The country started marking this day 13 years ago, but under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government, the importance of celebrating this day has been recognised to increase awareness about competition issues in Tanzania,” Dr Mlimuka said.
He added: “We are committed to curbing actions that undermine competition and ensuring that no one violates the laws and regulations, allowing businesses to compete effectively.” The Director-General of the Fair Competition Commission, William Erio, explained that the commission observes laws and policies to ensure that businesses have the opportunity to participate in investment and commercial activities.
The National Celebration of World Competition Day was established following a decision made by the United Nations General Assembly in 1980, which adopted various guidelines to regulate practices that undermine global competition.
