DAR ES SALAAM: TRADE, investment as well as defence and security will today feature prominently in the talks between President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Mozambican counterpart Filipe Nyusi who arrived in the country, on Monday.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Director of Presidential Communications, Sharifa Nyanga, the two Heads of State will also observe the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on various sectors of cooperation at the State House in Dar es Salaam.
President Nyusi, who is in the country for a three-day visit, will tomorrow grace the opening ceremony of the 48th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (Sabasaba) where he will be accompanied by his counterpart President Dr Samia.
“This visit will continue to strengthen the historical, fraternal and diplomatic relations that exist between Tanzania and Mozambique, which were founded by our leaders, the first leader of Mozambique’s ruling party FRELIMO, late Eduardo Mondlane and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere,” read part of the statement.
On Sunday, Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr January Makamba told reporters in Dar es Salaam that President Nyusi’s visit results from the invitation of his counterpart, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan.
He said Mr Nyusi will also visit Zanzibar for an official visit which upon winding up on July 4, he will fly back from the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport to Mozambique.
Highlighting the business volume between two countries, Mr Makamba said last year it reached 20 million US dollars (about 53bn/- ) with Tanzania exporting goods worth 15 million US dollars (about 40bn/-) while Mozambique importing goods valued at about 5 million US dollars (13bn/-) .
He attributed the imbalance of trade to many businesses between the two countries being conducted at the border informally.
He said it is from this background that the visit intended to boost trade between the two countries, especially by strengthening coordination of trade conducted at the borders and heightening peace and security in Mozambique, which has faced insecurity and as a result, undermining trade and economic activities.
In another development, Mr Makamba said that President Nyusi’s visit will serve as an opportunity to say goodbye to President Samia and the Tanzanian people as he nears the end of his term.
President Nyusi’s visit in the peace realm is significant as Mozambique gears for the general elections scheduled to take place on October 9, this year. Historically, Mozambique and Tanzania have maintained strong and friendly relations since Mozambique gained independence from Portugal.
His party FRELIMO was established in Tanzania with the assistance of the then Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere to fight the colonialists’ rule.
During the civil war, Tanzania provided land for the party to establish military camps.
On the diplomatic front, Mozambique runs a High Commission in Dar es Salaam, while Tanzania has an embassy in Maputo in the country.
