TANZANIA, SOUTH AFRICA RELATIONS: Removal of NTBs top priority

TANZANIA will continue to implement various strategies aimed at maintaining the existing strong business relations with South Africa, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has said.

Some of the strategies include removal of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), construction and improvement of infrastructures as well as effective utilisation of the available resources and opportunities.

Dr Samia also assured of Tanzania’s political will to attract more foreign investors into the country, as well as strengthening the country’s multilateral cooperation under win-win arrangements.

The Head of State made the statements yesterday in Pretoria, South Africa during her State visit at the invitation of her host, President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“Removal of NTBs will help to improve trade and investment between Tanzania and South Africa, we shall also continue to improve infrastructures and tap all the potential available on both sides,” she said.

During her visits, Tanzania and South Africa signed three Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs), aiming at strengthening further the existing ties between the two sister nations.

The documents that were signed include MoU on political and diplomatic consultations as well as the establishment of the second bi-national commission between Republic of South Africa and Tanzania.

Another MoU was signed for the establishment of the cooperation between the Mozambique-Tanzania Centre for Foreign Relations (CFR) and the diplomatic academy of the department of international relation and cooperation of the Republic of South Africa.

Dr Samia went on to commend South Africa   on its continued cooperation with Tanzania as a result of increased investment for economic gains.

“Between 2013 and 2022 Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) registered a total of 70 South African projects worth 137.4 million US dollars,” she said, adding that the tourism sector led the list with 36.3 million US dollars, followed by the manufacturing sector that had 25.9 million US dollars.

Earlier, President Ramaphosa said the official State visit of Samia serves as a way forward to strengthen further the bilateral and political ties between the two countries.

“We believe that this State visit will further strengthen the bilateral political and economic relations between our two countries and enhance the work of the BNC (Bi-National Commission). We must use this opportunity to explore further areas of cooperation.

“I am pleased to learn that several Agreements and MoUs between our departments are currently at various stages of negotiation and will soon be signed and subsequently implemented,” he said.

The president explained that the BNC aims to increase trade and investment between the two countries.

“To do this, we need to address any impediments and create a conducive environment for bilateral trade and investment to flourish. I look forward to participating in the South Africa-Tanzania Business Forum taking place alongside this state visit and summit meeting of the BNC.

According to him, the business forum covers various areas including agriculture, agro processing, oil and gas, mining and infrastructure development

“Just as we share common aspirations for the social and economic development of our countries, we also share similar views on the security and economic development of our region and the continent,” noted the South African President.

He called on the two countries to align views and unite against the challenges facing the continent and international nations.

According to him, currently, South Africa has a total of 250 companies that have invested in Tanzania and that trade between the two counties is growing every year.

Eelier, President Samia was bestowed with South African National Orders for her outstanding and groundbreaking role as the first female President of Tanzania.

After becoming President, Dr Samia continued to enhance the strong and existing ties between Tanzania and South Africa.