We’ll improve business environment: minister

Dodoma. The government reassured investors yesterday that it would do everything within its means to improve Tanzania’s business environment, calling upon interested parties to join hands in the noble task of ensuring that the country attains its industrialisation dreams.

Speaking during a seminar for Members of Parliament (MPs) here yesterday, the minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Joseph Kakunda, said Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) was one of the institutions that were doing a good job of helping Tanzania in improving its business climate.

TMEA, which organised the seminar, also made a presentation along with Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) and Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA).

TMEA is sponsoring a number of projects that are meant to improve Tanzania’s business climate including the building of digital systems for the conduct of businesses.

TMEA has provided TPA with technical support in the rehabilitation of access roads to help reduce traffic congestion at the port of Dar es Salaam.

Similarly, it has issued $5.3 million in support of empowerment of women entrepreneurs in Tanzania.

The money is meant to empower women entrepreneurs in Tanzania by helping them to access the wider market across member states of the East African Community (EAC).

Last year, TMEA funded the design and roll out of the e-portal with a grant of $150,000 that seeks to ensure that the registration of foods, drugs, cosmetics and medical devises in Zanzibar is done online.

Speaking here yesterday, Mr Kakunda said various initiatives by TMEA will ultimately improve the business environment and help TRA to collect more revenues.

The Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), Mr George Mkuchika, said it was important for MPs to understand what it takes to improve the business climate. “As lawmakers, MPs need to understand these issues so that when they soldier for change in laws and removal of procedures and regulations that impede on the conduct of businesses, they should do so with an informed mind,” he said.

TMEA country director John Ulanga said Tanzania has the highest number of business opportunities out of all the six member states of the East African Community (EAC), thanks to its geographical position.

TMEA – which has its headquarters in Nairobi and with branches in Arusha, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Juba, Kampala and Kigali – is an East African not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee established in 2010 to support the growth of trade - both regional and international - in East Africa.