Zanzibar reaps big from Tanzania’s economic diplomacy

ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR has reaped huge benefits from Tanzania’s economic diplomacy policy, the House of Representatives was told here yesterday.

Deputy Minister of State, President’s Office, Finance and Planning Juma Makungu Juma said the islands have strengthened its bilateral cooperation with various countries in the world, ensuring that it maximally exploit the available opportunities.

The deputy minister cited a number of soft loans, which Zanzibar has received, thanks to her bilateral cooperation with development partners.

The 204 million US dollar (over 500bn/-) from South Korea government through Korea’s Exim Bank for construction of Binguni hospital and improvement of irrigation infrastructure in the country is one of the benefits.

Zanzibar has also received 23 million US dollars (over 58bn/-) from Austria for improvement of education and infrastructure of Mbweni-based Karume Institute of Science and Technology.

The deputy minister was answering a question by Wawi Representative Bakar Hamad Bakar who wanted to know the benefits that Zanzibar enjoys through the economic diplomacy.