FRANCE OUT FOR MORE TRADE WITH TANZANIA

IPP Executive Chairman, Reginald Mengi

France has said that it expects to increase trade with Tanzania in the coming six years, saying Tanzania’s current 7.0 per cent growth, was encouraging.

 

Speaking on Wednesday to Tanzanian and French businesspersons soon after the signing of a cooperation deal between the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), French Trade minister, Nicole Bricq said given Tanzania’s current economic growth of 7.0 percent, this objective can be achieved in 2020.

 

She said businesses and government officials from the two countries will convene in Paris for an economic forum in the near future to kick-start the newly signed cooperation.

 

Bricq who was accompanied by 15 French heads of companies cautioned them not to take the situation lightly, saying there are already major international business groups operating in the country that they are eyeing.  

 

She said despite peace and security challenges in Africa, it is the right time for them to come to Tanzania because the country has real potential for development.  

 

“The business climate is not all that easy, but there is no easy market ...,” Minister Bricq said, adding: “We want to assist the local population by transferring what we have in terms of skills and technology, though we are aware of the competition.” 

 

Earlier TPSF Executive Director, Godfrey Simbeye and Chairman to African Committee for MEDEF, Patrick Lucas signed the cooperation pact between the two business bodies.

 

Witnessing the signing were Bricq, French Ambassador to Tanzania, Marcel Escure, TPSF Chairman, Dr Reginald Mengi as well as French and Tanzanian businesspersons and government officials.

 

In her translated speech, the minister underscored the incentive behind the pact as the mutual commitment to strengthen bilateral business and trade ties between the business communities of the two countries.  

 

She mentioned the areas of cooperation agreed upon as communication, exchanges of business information, trade investments and establishment of technology and projects related to economic development to benefit members of the organisations.

 

Both parties agreed to provide the Tanzania and French business communities with a regular bilateral platform for discussions and promotion of economic and private sector development activities and partnerships.  

 

They also agreed to develop areas of cooperation between the TPSF and MEDEF International.

In East Africa, Tanzania is France’s second trading partner. The country is ranked number 10 in terms of the flow of Foreign Direct Investment which largely goes into oil and gas drilling, logistics and cement production. The businesses provide more that 2,000 direct permanent jobs to Tanzanians.

 

Giving his remarks Dr Mengi said he is confident that the cooperation between TPSF and MEDEF will be of great meaning in carrying out the activities of the two countries’ private sector organisations.

 

He said France has made great strides in economic development, from which the Tanzanian business community could learn. 

 

He said the pact will open doors to reliable markets especially for perishable supplies from Tanzania as well as the procurement of technology or equipment to preserve them before they reach the market.

 

He said if either party is to live by the agreement, a lot will be achieved within its context in a short period of time.

 

For his part Chairman to African Committee for MEDEF Lucas said his association is delighted to welcome Tanzanian businesspersons to France and work together to develop the business communities. 

 

Tanzania’s relations with France were revived during President Jakaya Kikwete’s official visit to Paris early last year where he held official meetings with French investors attended by more than 50 representatives of top French companies.  

 

While in Dar es Salaam, the French Foreign Trade delegation also paid courtesy calls on President Kikwete, Finance minister, Saada Mkuya and Transport ministry permanent secretary, Shabaan Mwinjaka. They also visited the Dar es Salaam Port.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN