Mahiga: Let’s promote EAC goods; fakes, NO

BERNARD LUGONGO

TANZANIA has made an impassioned appeal to fellow East African Community (EAC) partner states to protect and promote the bloc’s economic interests by insisting on those within to buy local products.

The call was made in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga. It was prompted by con cern over the backward trend of the trade volume between Tanzania and other East African countries.

Dr Mahiga noted that the volume had dropped from 900 million US dollars to 700 million US dollars over the past three years. He was speaking at the 41st Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair when officiating the East Africa Special Day for the event.

“I call upon the East African countries to strengthen and safeguard the commu nity by buying local products rather than the ones from elsewhere,” he said. He said the cooperation among the partner atates was stronger than other regional entities.

“We have currently strengthened the cooperation in trade that focus on promoting our own products,” he said. Industry, Trade and Investment Minister Charles Mwijage, clarified that the government did not ban imports, but rather, restricted the entry of substandard products.

“Tanzania won’t accept to be turned into a dumping site. Whereas our is a free market economy, but this should not be manipulated as a loophole for importing poor quality products” he stated categorically.

Mr Mwijage reiterated Tanzania’s commitment to continue cooperating with other East African countries, noting that only value added products would be allowed to cross into Tanzania.