BRAZIL and Kenya yesterday hailed efforts by the government to revive the cash-strapped Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), describing the move as a major step towards boosting the country’s economy.
The Ambassadors of Brazil and Kenya to
Tanzania, Mr Carlos Alfonso Puente and Chirau Ali Makwere, respectively,
lauded the purchase of new planes for the airline to improve the
company’s service delivery to domestic and international air travellers.
The praises come as the government
embarks on a number of plans to purchase more aircraft for the national
flag carrier. President John Magufuli announced recently that he intends
to purchase three more aircraft, bringing to five the total number of
new planes from Canadian manufacturer, Bombardier.
The two bombardier Q400 arrived in the
country last September, with the government maintaining that another two
of such kind would be received next January and the Bombardier CS300
will be received in 2018.
On Wednesday, this week, the Boeing
Company and Tanzania confirmed the sealing of the deal for the supply of
one 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft at 224.6 million US dollars (about
500bn/-), the first ever wide-body order for the country’s national
carrier.
The envoys, speaking at State House in
Dar es Salaam yesterday after meeting the Vice-President, Ms Samia
Suluhu Hassan, said strong ATCL will in return boost the tourism sector
and the national economy.
Mr Puente told VP Samia that Brazil was
among the countries leading in planes manufacturing, inviting Tanzania
to buy some of the aircraft from South American nation. Ms Samia,
responding to the plea, invited the Brazilian plane manufacturers to
visit the country and market their products, especially planes as part
of strengthening trade relations between the two countries.
She appreciated Brazil’s feat in sugar
production, inviting Brazilian investors to explore investment
opportunities in Tanzania’s sugar sector, saying the country has enough
land for such investments. Speaking to the Kenyan ambassador, the
Vice-President underscored the need to cement and sustain the good
relations between Tanzania and Kenya in areas of trade and investment.
She asked Tanzanians to grab the opportunities available in Kenya to
reap the benefits from the existing relations of the two countries.
Meanwhile, the vice-president met with
the Ambassador of Denmark to Tanzania, Mr Hebogand Jensen, who assured
her of his country’s intent to collaborate with others to build a giant
fertiliser factory in Kilwa District, Lindi Region. Mr Jensen was
hopeful that the industry will produce massively and employ hundreds of
Tanzanians
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