WB calls for public, private sectors open dialogue

DAILY NEWS Reporter

World Bank Country Director, Ms Bella Bird

THE World Bank said yesterday that only honest dialogue between the public and private sectors will enhance Tanzania’s pace towards becoming a middle income economy.

The World Bank Country Director, Ms Bella Bird, told a seminar jointly organised by the bank and the National Business Council (TNBC) in Dar es Salaam that the voices raised by members of the private sector are important in eliminating challenges that are inimical to growth and economic development.

She said the voices from the private sector will highlight the challenges that constitute frosty environment in doing business in Tanzania and those challenges will be solved. Early this month, while in Mwanza, President John Magufuli praised the World Bank as a considerate, honest and consistent supporter of Tanzania’s development efforts.

“There must be trust between the government and the private sector. That is why I believe the voices from the private sector are necessary to be able to know the kind of challenges investors are facing,” she said.

She said Tanzania is presently well-positioned economically and must ensure it does not slide back. “I believe this country will make economic wonders,” she told the council with equal representatives from the public and private sectors. The president is the automatic chairman of the council.

The TNBC Executive Secretary, Engineer Raymond Mbilinyi, described sincere and direct dialogue between the two sectors as the only way to eradicate poverty in Tanzania. He said President Magufuli values truthful dialogue between the government and the private sector.

“During our first meeting, to a large extent the president solved many of the challenges that were raised and the current budget will provide solutions to many questions that we raised,” he said.

The Executive Director of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), Mr Godfrey Simbeye, called for an improved system of dialogue between the two sectors with the aim of creating a good environment for doing business in Tanzania.

“We need this kind of dialogue at a lower level like this one, before meeting with the chief secretary or the president,” he said explaining that there must be meetings at ministerial level between the two parties to thrush out troublesome issues.