Dar commodities impress Nkurunziza

Correspondent in Bujumbura

BURUNDIAN President Pierre Nkurunziza

BURUNDIAN President Pierre Nkurunziza has toured the Tanzania’s trade exhibitions held for the first time in Bujumbura, admiring quality of products and called for maximum utilization of business and investment opportunities.

“This is a very important business meeting where the products displayed here are of high quality,” Mr Nkurunziza said when he toured the exhibition trade fair grounds at Tempete in Bujumbura.

The exhibitions which started on September 27 closed here yesterday. The Burundi leader hailed the trade exhibition as an indication of the strong bilateral ties between Tanzania and Burundi.

He showered praises on the Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade) and the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) as well as the country’s Embassy in Burundi for organizing such ‘an important’ trade exhibition.

“Burundians have been travelling long distance to Dar es Salaam in search of goods, but now they have access on their door.

The goods here have been accessed by Burundians at high prices because they were being imported in small quantities but now they can access at low prices through this exhibition,” the president stressed.

He added, “Our bilateral ties are growing from strength to strength… I believe the objective of integration by East African Community (EAC) is through the exhibition of this nature being thoroughly implemented.

“I promise to support efforts to ensure economic growth of the two countries,” he said.

The Tanzania Embassy in Bujumbura played a key a role in making the exhibitions possible under Ambassador Rajabu Gamaha and his team. The embassy has of recent been receiving several orders of goods from Tanzania by Burundian traders.

Earlier the Second Vice- President of Burundi, Dr Joseph Bitore, said the business sector connects countries and support each other in growth, adding that the exhibitions were an opportunity for people of the two countries.

Speaking at the same occasion, TANTRADE Board of Directors’ Chairman, Mr Christopher Chiza said it was a positive and encouraging move towards expanding the market of Tanzania’s goods beyond the borders.

“When we succeed to access the Burundi market, it means we are expanding our market in the region, we are also eying the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo because we have been told that they have also been accessing Tanzanian goods through Burundi,” Mr Chiza said.