VP calls for stronger economic diplomacy
ROME: THE Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango has stressed the importance of bolstering Tanzania’s economic diplomacy and advancing national interests through strategic international engagement.
Dr Mpango made the remarks on Monday during his official visit to the Tanzanian Embassy in Rome.
The Vice-President is in Italy to represent President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Italy–Africa Development Partnership Summit (Mattei Plan) and holding several high-level bilateral meetings.
He urged embassy staff to intensify efforts to promote Tanzania’s economic priorities and deepen diplomatic and investment relations between Tanzania and Italy.
“It is essential to seize the many opportunities available here in Italy. Strategic cooperation can benefit both countries, especially in key sectors such as livestock, ICT, manufacturing and essential social services like health and education,” Dr Mpango said.
He specifically called for targeted efforts to attract Italian investors to Tanzania’s tourism sector, particularly in developing tourism infrastructure.
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The Vice-President also underscored the government’s commitment to promoting smart agriculture and called on embassy staff to engage Italian companies with expertise in modern agricultural technologies and systems.
In addition to economic diplomacy, Dr Mpango encouraged the continued promotion of the Kiswahili language, praising the embassy’s ongoing Kiswahili training programmes and cultural outreach.
As part of his visit, Dr Mpango toured Health 3000, a global medical technology company based in Italy.
There, he held discussions with Chairman Mr Maurizio Flammini and CEO Ms Eleonora Flammini on establishing a strategic partnership in the field of telemedicine, an innovative approach that uses digital platforms to deliver healthcare services remotely.
Health 3000, a subsidiary of the FG Group, specialises in advanced medical equipment and digital health solutions aimed at improving healthcare quality, accessibility and efficiency.
During his participation at the Italy–Africa Development Partnership Summit, Dr Mpango underlined the importance of the Mattei Plan and the European Union’s Global Gateway Initiative in accelerating Africa’s development.
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He noted that discussions at the summit included value addition in agricultural commodities particularly coffee to increase economic benefits and job creation across the continent.
“Tanzania, as Africa’s fourth-largest coffee exporter outside the continent, stands to gain significantly from initiatives that support value addition in the coffee value chain,” he stated.
The summit also emphasised the importance of investing in human capital development to improve livelihoods and addressing the root causes of irregular migration from Africa to Europe.
