Industrialisation drive given boost

TANZANIA has received yet another boost in its industrialisation agenda after the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) inked a programme for country partnership with the Tanzanian governme.

 

The programme was signed by UNIDO Director General Li Yong and Tanzania’s Minister for Industries, Trade and Investment, Charles Mwijage at the signing ceremony that was witnessed by Vice President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, Finance and Planning Minister, Dr Philip Mpango, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga and UN resident coordinator Alvaro Rodrigues.

Mr Yong, who made his maiden official visit to the country, signed a joint declaration to strengthen the cooperation between Tanzania and UNIDO in support of the implementation of the Country´s Development Vision 2025; the Zanzibar Vision 2020, the Sustainable Industrial Development Plan, and its Integrated Industrial Development Strategy 2025 (IIDS 2025).

Speaking at a joint press conference after the signing and exchanging documents, the UNIDO boss said he chose to visit Tanzania because of the long outstanding cooperation between his organisation and the country.

“Prior to signing of this agreement, I had critical meetings with the Vice President and Mr Mahiga, Mr Mwijage and Dr Mpango and we agreed together on the various matters on industrial development,’’ he said, adding that development based on industrialisation would create jobs for the young generation.

The visit by Mr Yonghis delegation created an opportunity to discuss the technical cooperation between Tanzania and UNIDO in the context of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III) following the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the industrialisation of Africa.

UNIDO is the specialised agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalisation and environmental sustainability. The mission of the UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in member states.

This is in line with the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development. In his remarks, Mr Mwijage said the signing of the programme would transform the country from national plans to plans with development partners.

“UNIDO is in direct contact with big investors and loans providers; therefore our conversation with the UNIDO boss puts us on a better place to market our country to others as well as soliciting other partners to come and look at our five year development plan,’’ he said, adding:

“UNIDO works with other partners like UNDP, FAO, UNCTAD, and Bretton Woods institutions, among others. Our target is to create more employment and increase individual and national income that will make our country increase its revenue through tax collection.