Tanzania: Mwinyi Impressed By Zipa, Tic Ties

By Dailynews Reporter

PRESIDENT Hussein Mwinyi has welcomed efforts to strengthen cooperation between the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) and the Tanzania Investment Center (TIC), saying it is the best way to improve investments in the country.

Dr Mwinyi (pictured) made the remarks yesterday when he met leaders from ZIPA led by its Executive Director Shariff Ali Shariff and TIC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Maduhu Kazi at the Vuga-based State House in Unguja.

"Promote and strengthen your relations as it will help share experience and resolve challenges investors face in the country," President Mwinyi said.

He said there is a need to further strengthen the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by updating it with issues that are important to share or work together to attract more investors.

President Mwinyi said that the issue of exchanging experiences between the two institutions is very important, saying it will help provide training for the executives of the institutions in order to strengthen the investment sector in the country.

In addition, Dr Mwinyi expressed his dream of seeing ZIPA have a single Service Delivery Center (One Stop Centre), to minimise bureaucracy in processing investors' applications.

Earlier, the Executive Director of ZIPA Mr Shariff explained that the relations between the two institutions remain crucial in strengthening the existing political Union, especially considering that the two institutions are interdependent. He said that TIC top brass are in Zanzibar for a three-day visit, to share experience.

The TIC officials are expected to travel to Egypt to woo investors to invest in the country. Mr Shariff promised and assured President Mwinyi that ZIPA is striving to bring about changes, which include issuing work permits within a short time if all the necessary requirements are available.

On his part, the TIC boss Mr Kazi informed the president that his institution is committed to cooperate with Zanzibar to attract investments.

He said that there are plans to form a joint committee that will consist of members of ZIPA and TIC, to have frequent discussions about investment development for Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania.