Samia’s foreign visits pushes investments to ceiling, says Kitila

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has benefited greatly from President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s foreign visits during her short time in office, including attracting more investments, leading to significant economic growth and increased employment in the country.

The Minister of State, President’s Office (Planning and Investment) Professor Kitila Mkumbo said that besides strengthening diplomatic and political relations, the visits have seen the country gaining a lot economically.

According to the Minister, between October and December in 2022, Tanzania was talking about attracting investment capital of 770 million US dollars with 58 registered projects.

However, during the similar period in 2023, the country attracted 1,396 million US dollars investment capital, with 213 registered projects. He said the investment projects have also increased employment especially for youth, whereby between October and December in 2022, there were 10,216 jobs generated from the projects but during the similar period in 2023 there were 18,390 jobs.

“Investment is a process.  We can’t expect the President to leave Oslo today and see a factory built tomorrow. However, the process itself is moving very fast,” Prof Mkumbo said, while commenting on recent state visits by President Samia to the Vatican, Norway and Ethiopia. He said in 2021, President Samia visited China and one of the sectors that benefited from her visit was trade and investment, following the establishment of two large factories from China.

“Last year, the president launched the Sapphire Floating Glass manufacturing factory in Mkuranga District, Coast Region, the factory has invested over 320 million US dollars and is the fourth largest factory in Africa, after two factories in South Africa and one in Nigeria,” he said.

The construction of the factory began in 2022 and was completed last year.

“As I speak, Tanzania is the main supplier of float glass in East Africa, Prof Mkumbo said. He further said that Sino – Tan Industrial Park in Kibaha, Coast Region worth 321 million US dollars is also a result of President Samia’s visit to the Asian nation.

The minister added that upon completion the entire investment will have a value of 3 billion US dollars equivalent to 11tri/-, the industrial park will have capacity to host 200 factories.

Prof Mkumbo said the visit by President Samia to Egypt has also enabled the country to secure an investment of Elsewedy Electric East Africa manufacturing plant in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam. The factory, among others, produces power cables, transformers, and electricity meters. He said the company will also open an industrial park at Mlandizi in Coast Region.

The minister further said that the president’s mission to Indonesia besides deepening bilateral relations, the country also expects to host a large company ESA Group, which will construct a fertiliser factory in Mtwara.

“The factory will produce fertiliser by using gas, I have already met them and they have also met with Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) to see how they can get gas for production of fertiliser,” he said.

He added that companies from Indonesia have also shown interest to come and invest in sugar factories.

“This will help the country to address the current deficit of the sweetener because we will have sufficient supply of the commodity. The minister said that another company from India Mahindra Group will also establish a factory in Tanzania for assembling tractors, which is also a result of President Samia’s visit to India last year.

Briefing editors and journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday on the recent visits by President Samia to Vatican, Norway and Ethiopia, Director of Presidential Communications Unit Zuhura Yunus said that all the trips were successful and beneficial to the country.

She said that during her visit to Vatican, Samia met Pope Francis where among other things, the President acknowledged the efforts being done by the Catholic Church in provision of various services in the country including education, health and water.

The president’s visit to Norway is historic because it was the second visit by the Head of State from Tanzania after the visit made by the late President Julius Nyerere. Ms Yunus said both Tanzania and Norway have agreed to continue cooperating in various areas including renewable energy, agriculture, food security, addressing effects of climate change, blue economy among others. She said while in Addis Ababa, Samia unveiled the Nyerere statue at the African Union headquarters.

“This is an honour for the country as AU has recognised Nyerere’s contribution in the liberation struggles in Africa.” In fact, the government has insisted that the unveiled statue has considered expertise criteria, including reaching the acceptable margin of resemblance.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation Ambassador Shaibu Kassim Mussa said yesterday that the government has followed advice provided by a special committee of experts that participated from the discussion to the acquisition of the statue.

He said from the initial stages to the final stage and acceptance, the committee was satisfied with the criteria used. He said the impression was sculptured from the figure of Mwalimu of between 1960s to 1980s, when he was active in the struggles to liberate countries in southern Africa.