THE government has welcomed foreign investors in value addition industries. Talking to officials from a France based company, Endel Engie, in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industries, Trade and Investment, Dr Adelhelm Meru, said the country was in dire need of investors in the sector.
The company’s officials were in the
country where they met several government officials to express their
intention to invest in this part of Africa and learn about available
opportunities.
Endel is the French leader in industrial
maintenance and related services. It also manages complex industrial
projects like constructing major infrastructure facilities, transferring
them and dismantling them. The company is a subsidiary of the Energy
Services Branch of the ENGIE Group.
It generates annual revenues of nearly
700 million euros, has 6,000 employees and more than 140 sites in France
and 2,500 customers. Some of the key sectors of the company include
aerospace, food industry, armed forces, wind power, environment, rail,
gas, hydraulics, ship building, nuclear energy, petrochemicals,
pharmaceuticals/ cosmetics, ports, steel industry and thermal power.
In Africa, it operates in South Africa,
Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Talking to
journalists after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary said there is a
lot to do on value addition industries and that this is the time for
that.
“The government makes sure that it sets a
conducive environment for such industries to thrive,” he said. He told
the investors that Tanzania’s stability cannot compare to any in the
region and that the attribute makes it a suitable destination for
investors.
The French company is looking for
investment opportunities in Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. Dr Meru
mentioned other unexploited opportunities as oil and gas exploration,
mineral and agro-processing, engineering and electronics, power
generation, tourism, chemical and petrochemical and motor vehicle
assembly among others.
The company’s Senior Executive
Vice-President, International Development, Mr Olivier Rousseau, termed
their visit as ‘exploratory mission.’ He said they are attracted by
existing peace and tranquility in this region which is also full of
resources especially Tanzania.
“We want to learn more,” he noted.
According to him, a team of officials will came back in October this
year to propose specific areas of interest for investment.
The immediate formal Member of
Parliament for Mbinga West, Mr Gaudence Kayombo, who accompanied the
investors said this is a right time to support and act on the government
wish to turn Tanzania into a prosperous nation through
industrialisation and investment. He said investors bring technology,
capital and needed experience.
No comments :
Post a Comment