Posted on March, 21, 2022 at 06:56 am
Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan said recently the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into the East African Community (EAC) would broaden the bloc’s market.
The Head of State said Tanzania would, therefore, have a bigger market for its agricultural produce as prices would improve as well as productivity.
She made remarks during a recent interview with Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) managing director Bakari Machumu to mark one year since she took the office.
The President was responding to a question that sought to clarification on the country’s efforts to attract investments in the fisheries, livestock keeping and agriculture sector.
In her response, she said the government was reforming the National Irrigation Council of Tanzania (NIRC) and has increased the irrigation budget so as to align to the global economic changes brought by the impacts of Covid-19.
According to her, the changes have turned food crops into commercial crops traded in different parts of the world, “We are capitalising on the changes to benefit with the huge market available in the continent and the region.”
“Soon, the Democratic Republic of Congo will be joining the EAC after we have made preliminary decisions welcoming the country to the bloc. Once they are fully admitted the bloc will be significantly broadened,” she added.
President Hassan said following the ballooning market, Tanzania produce will not satisfy the resource rich country and that farmers’ complaints on absence of marketing and better prices will no longer be there.
She said during the just concluded Dubai Expo 2020, Tanzania signed a contract with an institution that would be responsible for trading tea, coffee and cashewnuts produced in the country to the international market.
President Hassan said demand for Tanzania agricultural produce could be demonstrated with the export of beans and green gram to China, rice to Belgium, vegetables to Europe and avocado to Europe and India with fresh demands from China.
During the virtual summit of EAC heads of state held on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, separately expounded the role of DRC in strengthening trade and broadening the market of the bloc.
They also considered the bloc as a strategic security partner to DRC that has been continuously fighting rebels in the eastern part of the country.
During the meeting, the Tanzanian leader said DRC admission into the bloc was “a milestone for the integration”.
She called on the EAC secretariat to expedite the negotiations between the bloc and the Kinshasa authorities so as to realize the desired admission.
Her Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni said there was no contention of economic benefits the new union would bring, “DRC entry would bring prosperity in business, increased production of goods and services and an enlarged market.”
However, he stressed that assured security would pave the way for tapping of the economic potentials that would come with entry of the resource-rich country in the bloc.
Burundi, through its vice president Prosper Bazombanza who represented President Evariste Ndayishimiye said the admission of DRC would bring peace and stability to the bloc.
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda noted that DRC entry was given a nod given its proximity to the bloc and that regional leaders had been unanimous on the project.
President Salva Kiir of South Sudan said from the beginning his country was a strong supporter of the vast country’s admission in the block.
The EAC current chair, President Uhuru Kenyatta highlighted the security, peace and conflict resolution and prevention gains from the expanded bloc among the benefits.
In February, 2021, the summit considered the application by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to join the EAC and directed the council of ministers to expeditiously undertake a verification mission to the DRC in accordance with EAC procedures for admission of new members into the bloc and report to the December 22 meeting.
Source: The Citizen