Posted on May, 4, 2022 at 09:20 am
THE Vice-President Philip Mpango has underscored the need for African countries to team up and engage in implementation of regional transport infrastructure projects, to smoothen trade amongst themselves through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) arrangement.
Dr Mpango made the call in Dodoma on Monday during meeting with a delegation led by the World Economic Forum (WEF)'s Head of Regional Agenda for Africa, Mr Chido Munyati.
AfCFTA is a free trade area founded in 2018, with trade commencing as of 1 January 2021. It was created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of the 55 African Union nations.
"Individual countries cannot alone mobilise requisite finances to undertake infrastructure projects on timely manner. Collective efforts can make us move faster.
"We cannot trade without requisite transport infrastructure. As we say in our own languages unity is power. There are lots of potentials in the free trade area in Africa," Dr Mpango told the WEF delegation.
The VP pointed further that trade between African countries should be facilitated by efficient ports and airlines in addition to railways and roads to connect the countries.
"For instance in Tanzania, we are implementing SGR (standard gauge railway) which will later be connected to Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi," he stated.
In addition, Dr Mpango said it is important for African countries to engage the world in acquiring technology to improve the agriculture sector.
"African countries have a lot of potential, we need to engage the world in acquiring technology which is key in productivity," he observed.
Dr Mpango was optimistic that modern technology will enable African countries to treble productivity in the agriculture sector.
"For instance in Tanzania there is adequate arable land for growing wheat but what is produced is very little.
"Agriculture is a science, what we need from the rest of the world is technology to be able to increase production," Dr Mpango remarked.
The VP stressed that Tanzania and other countries in the African continent ought to put more efforts in growing cereals since demand for the crop is on increase.
The delegation by Mr Munyati welcomed Dr Mpango at the World Economic Forum to be held in Davos, Switzerland between May 22 and 26, this year.
Through the forum Tanzania will be in a position to promote trade and investment opportunities which are available in the countries and eventually attract investors in various sectors of the economy namely agriculture, energy, tourism and blue economy.
Among others, the forum aims at promoting and strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors in spurring economic growth.
The annual forum brings together Heads of State and Government on one hand and heads of international organisations as well as businesspersons and investors from across the globe.
Source: Daily News