Mwijage stresses value addition to minimise trade in raw commodities

Dar es Salaam. Minister of Industry Trade and Investment Charles Mwijage has urged industrialists to share their experiences with start-ups and support their endeavours, putting more emphasis on value addition to minimise trade in raw commodities.

This is a according to his statement read on his behalf by director of Industries Obadiah Nyagiro during a ceremony to mark Africa Industrialisation Day held on Monday, December 11, under the theme “African Industrial Development: A Pre-Condition for an Effective and Sustainable Continental Free Trade Area”.

Mr Mwijage emphasised the significance of reducing production costs and complying with national and international standards for Tanzania’s products to be competitive in domestic, regional and international markets.

“The government is making efforts to improve the business environment for both national and foreign investors’ businesses to flourish,” he said. He urged Tanzanians to use local products to support the country’s economy.

For his part, United Nations secretary-general António Guterres in his statement read on his behalf by United Nations resident coordinator in Tanzania Alvaro Rodrigues said: “Industrialisation is the primary driver of economic growth and job creation.”

He added that it was crucial to achieve Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, in particular Goal 9, and Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.

He also highlighted Africa’s move towards establishing a continental free trade area, the first flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and a key initiative for the industrialisation and economic development of Africa.

On the same occasion, United Nations Industrial Development Organiation (Unido) representative in Tanzania Stephen Kargbo said creating a sustainable continental free trade area (CFTA) would be one of Africa’s economic growth drivers by ensuring inclusive development in Africa through enhanced quality production and manufacturing, mostly by the private sector.

He stressed the importance of small and medium enterprises, which already contributed 80 per cent of the continent’s GDP and supported 90 per cent of all jobs

This year’s symposium attracted more than 120 participants from various stakeholders, including, government authorities, development partners, UN agencies, academia and the private sector.