By Osoro Nyawangah, MWANZA Tanzania
Tanzania citizens await the
arrival of United States Vice President, Kamala Harris, with high expectations
in the economy, security, trade, other development areas, promotion of
democracy and good governance areas as she jets in today for three days’ official
visit.
According to the Tanzania government,
the visit is of significant importance to East African country as it will
strengthen relations that have existed between the two countries for many years.
Harris visited the Ghanaian
capital last Sunday, the first leg in her weeklong trip to the continent as her
administration sought to regain trust among African leaders against grip from
China, will be in Tanzania and conclude by visiting Zambia.
President Biden's predecessor,
Donald Trump made significantly less effort to engage with African
countries on the economic front. That gap has strengthened
China's influence and financial
investments on the continent in recent years.
Tanzania’s minister for Foreign
and East African Cooperation, Stergomena Tax, told a news conference in Dar es
Salaam that cooperation between the two countries was mainly in the areas of
investment, tourism and trade.
At least 266 American
investment projects worth $4.778 billion (Sh11.178 trillion) had been
registered with the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) according to the minister.
“Through the visit, the two
countries are expected to maintain bilateral ties in trade, tourism, education,
health, agriculture, environment, information and communication technology
(ICT), as well as security and defence.” Tax said adding that Tanzania was also
benefiting from the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, the US
President’s Malaria Initiative and Feed the Future programme.
Tanzania is among eight
countries that cooperate with the US in agriculture through Feed the Future
programme, seeking to ensure food security and nutrition availability.The US
has allocated Sh1.9 billion for the initiative.
“This is the outcome of
efforts made by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to improve relations with other
countries. This particular programme was announced during the US-Africa Summit
last December.” Said the minister.
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