What Tanzania expects of its envoys

Tanzanian envoys attend the first envoys meeting in Zanzibar that kicked off yesterday through to November 21 next week. PHOTO | FOREIGN TANZANIA

By Jesse Mikofu

Unguja. Tanzania representatives in different countries globally were yesterday directed to initiate, lobby and strike beneficial contracts in their

countries of representation instead of waiting for recommendations from officials in respective countries.
The directive was issued by the minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Stergomena Tax in her opening remarks at a week-long  meeting that brought together 45 Tanzania envoys with top government leaders from Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.
The meeting schedule shows that the representatives will meet the Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi and President Samia Suluhu Hassan on November 18 and November 19, this week respectively.
During the meeting, the envoys will receive directives from the country’s top leaders for smooth implementation of the country’s economic diplomacy.
Also, the meeting will enable them to exchange experience, list down their challenges and come up with strategies conducive for effective implementation of their duties.
It is expected that after the meeting, Tanzania embassies will come up with new approaches that will increase creativity in bringing development and realisation of the government’s Development Vision 2025.
Reading the opening speech on behalf of Dr Tax, the docket’s deputy minister, Mr Mbarouk Nassor Mbarouk said envoys are challenged to initiate, display bargaining powers and strike beneficial deals to the country.
“We shouldn’t wait for contracts and agreements to come from the host countries for us to make recommendations. We should initiate and make close follow up on the implementations,” he said.
He said the country’s foreign policy was the reflection of the local policies, calling upon envoys to continue focusing on national priorities in implementation of their duties in accordance with the country’s Development Vision 2025, the Zanzibar Development Vision 2050, the National Five Year Development Plan and the CCM Election Manifesto.
Mr Mbarouk asked envoys to abide by priorities endorsed by both sides of the union and special Zanzibar issues, stressing that the country representatives should work in unity, cooperation and sharing important information for the interest of the nation.
According to him, regional meetings needed to be maintained in order to strengthen efficiency in implementation envoys duties, saying that the world community was  currently surrounded with competition, resources utilisation in developing its people.
“In case we have discovered a large market of locally produced goods, then we are supposed to analyse market conditions and accurately take the information to the local businessmen and producers,” he stressed. But, the docket’s Permanent Secretary, Ms Fatuma Rajabu said the meeting is significant in strengthening economic diplomacy and the country’s foreign policy as it provides an opportunity for envoys to share their experience and collectively find solutions to the challenges they are facing.
On the weekend, Dr Tax told editors from different media outlets that Tanzania embassies have done a commendable job in attracting investment, opening markets, securing low interest development loans and tourists attraction.
“The visits of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to China, the Vice President Philip Mpango’s visit to Ivory Coast, President Hussein Ali Mwinyi to Oman and Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa to South Korea are some few examples,” she said.
She pointed out that , the public and private sector stakeholders have been invited to meet envoys on November 17 this week to discuss different issues executed by their offices before the envoys visit tourists’ attractions and strategic development projects , the port of Malindi and Manga Pwani.