Government, donors in talks over business climate issues
British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ms Sarah Cooke
What you need to know:
- The government is holding dialogue with, among others, UK, USA, Denmark, World Bank and European Union so that they (stakeholders) can share their expertise on how to fast-tract the implementation of policies and rules which are meant to improve business environments.
Dar es Salaam. The British High Commission to Tanzania said yesterday that it was in dialogue with the government over business environment, including policy unpredictability, in the country.
When asked to comment over the dialouge, the minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Investment), Ms Angellah Kairuki, directed The Citizen to seek the information from her subordinates.
One subordinate, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the government was holding talks not only with UK, but also with other development partners including the US, Denmark, World Bank and the European Union.
“What we seek from them is their expertise on how we can fast-tract implementation of policies and rules that will attract investors,” she told The Citizen.
Earlier, a British High Commission official told The Citizen in an exclusive interview that they were optimistic through continued dialogue they could build an environment which supports further UK investment in the country.
“As of now, the business environment is very challenging. We’re in talks with the government to see how we can address the hurdles that investors are grappling with,” he said.
He cited some challenges as policy unpredictability and delays in issuance of work permits.
The official, who asked not to be named, also decried inconsistent tax regime, saying all these made investment planning difficult.
The effect, according to the official, was that the environment made it difficult to attract long-term capital.
