Why Tanzania's focus is now on economic diplomacy

Dodoma. The government said yesterday that it is putting more emphasis on economic diplomacy to attain its indusrialisation goals.

Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation minister Palamagamba Kabudi said this when presenting his docket’s 2019/20 budget estimates in Parliament.

“The focus is on advancing economic diplomacy to attain Tanzania’s industrialisation goals,” he said, adding that a number of diplomatic assignments had already been undertaken in line with the endeavour.

Prof Kabudi, who asked Parliament to approve Sh166.92 billion for the ministry’s recurrent and development expenditure in 2019/20, also said Tanzania’s embassies have been directed to play a pivotal role in attracting more tourists and investors to the country.

He said the country was benefiting from cordial relations with the international community.

The benefits include the partnership between Tanzania and Egypt in the construction of a meat processing plant in Tanzania.

The plant, which will have the capacity of slaughtering 1,500 cattle and 4,500 goats daily, is to be set up in Coast Region and operated jointly by National Ranching Company Limited (Narco) and Necai of Egypt.

On agriculture, Prof Kabudi told Parliament that Israel had offered to train 100 Tanzanians on modern farming starting from the 2019/20 academic year.

Similarly, Brazilian experts are in Magu, Misungwi and Kwimba districts undertaking a major cotton project.

The government has also identified investors from France, the US and Luxemburg, who will invest in cassava processing in Lindi Region through a company known as Cassava Starch of Tanzania Corporation.

Prof Kabudi also mentioned the 6.2- kilometre Selander Bridge being built in Dar es Salaam with South Korean assistance.

He said Tanzania’s intention is to foster bilateral relations and cooperation with other countries, but added that the country will not hesitate to put the record straight whenever its image is tarnished.

“I urge the international community and non-governmental organisations to seek clarification from the government whenever they feel there is a problem,” he said.

Parliament’s Foreign Relations and East African Cooperation Committee said it was time Tanzania came up with a policy on Tanzanians living outside the country.

“The policy will help Tanzanians who live outside the country to play a bigger role in the development of their country,” committee chairman Cosato Chumi said.

The Opposition demanded that the government make public what prompted former European Union ambassador to Tanzania Roeland van de Geer to leave the country last year.

Presenting the Opposition’s views on the ministerial budget on behalf of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation shadow minister, Ms Salome Makamba said no country can develop without cooperating with other countries.

She said it was unfortunate that the Fifth Phase government had adopted a combative stance towards development partners who provide budget support.

“The opposition camp would like to know why the government is interfering in the work of representatives of foreign countries and whether that is not contrary to the Vienna Convention,” Ms Makamba said.