Unido pledges support for industry drive

Dar es Salaam. The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) has pledged to assist the government of Tanzania in searching for potential partners who will invest in the country’s industrial sector.

The move is part of Unido’s efforts to ensure that Tanzania is able to meet its industrialisation goal as envisioned in the country’s Development Vision 2025 as well as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday shortly after meeting with the minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Charles Mwijage, Unido’s Director General Li Yong said his organisation will do everything possible to help Tanzania in its endeavour to attract investors.

According to the government’s second Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP-II), Tanzania needs Sh107 trillion in the 2016/17 to 2020/21 financial years to earnestly embark upon its industrialisation agenda.

The money is to be sourced from both the public and private sectors.

During the meeting between Mr Li Yong and Mr Mwijage, the two also signed the agreement on Programme for Country Partnership (PCP), during an event that was witnessed by Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the minister for Finance and Planning, Dr Phillip Mpango, and the minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga.

Mr Yong said partnership was among the key instruments for the success and that the UN agency will ensure improvement on industrial investment.

“Our task is to link you with potential investors who can really help the country’s economy to grow. The investment will help to increase employment,” he said.

He went on to express his satisfactions on achievements attained by Tanzania by capitalising on its industrialisation policy.

“I’m really impressed with efforts by the government to build an industrial economy, we shall issue all the support to be needed for the future prosperity of the country,” he added.

For his part, Mr Mwijage said Tanzania’s partnerships open up opportunities for the country to attract more investors.

“Right now, we have high trust in UN agency responsible for industrial sector, they have a platform to link potential investors with countries that have good investment climate, including Tanzania,” he explained.

“The government is making efforts to improve the business environment for both national and foreign investors’ businesses to flourish,” added the minister.