STATEMENT BY H.E. OMAR R. MAPURI, AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AT THE FOUNDATION CONFERENCE OF THE CHINA-AFRICA BUSINESS COUNCIL ADVISORY BOARD AND A SEMINAR ON CHINA-AFRICA TRADE AND INVESTMENT COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
Beijing, 25th June, 2007
Excellency The Chairperson,
Colleagues in the Advisory Board,
Fellow Participants of this Conference,
Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like from the outset to congratulate the China-Africa Business Council (CABC) for the noble decision to establish this Advisory Board which should serve as an enabling vehicle to foster cooperation between China and African countries in the enhancement of trade and investment.
Furthermore, I join my colleagues in thanking CABC for the honour it has accorded us of including us in this new Advisory Board, and for giving us the opportunity to speak at this landmark occasion.
Dear Participants,
The successful Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in November 2006, has ignited curiosity and interest among Chinese entrepreneurs to know more about Africa and its investment opportunities. Since the Summit, African Embassies in Beijing, If I may generalize from my experience at the Tanzanian Embassy, have been forced to reorganize themselves in facing up with ever increasing numbers of prospective investors. The Embassies are already facilitating contacts between Chinese entrepreneurs and their African counterparts who are keen to utilize the facilities offered in the relevant provisions of the eight policy measures unveiled at the Summit by President Hu Jintao.
More Chinese entrepreneurs are traveling to Africa to forge partnerships and look for investment opportunities. On the other hand, more African business people are waking up to the opportunities availed by China through the FOCAC framework and are thus coming to China in bigger numbers. This emerging phenomenon is an indication that the cooperation between China and Africa has indeed gone down to the people themselves. The envisaged people to people cooperation is fast taking root.
Dear Participants,
In the facilitation of contacts between Chinese and African business people, for example through match making, the CABC has a central role to play, particularly in the identification and certification of prospective partners or investors and establish their credibility, honesty and seriousness. The inauguration of this CABC Advisory Board is thus timely. Even more remarkable, is its composition which provides room for a participatory approach in addressing not only the certification exercise, but also all other issues of bilateral and multilateral concern like settling of disputes as just cited in the Tanzanian example. With this spirit and mode of cooperation, I believe the envisaged people to people trade and investment cooperation will be realized in a harmonious way. Through this approach, the increasing quantities of trade dealings and investment ventures will be enhanced by quality. In this way, even the unwarranted fears expressed by one of the earlier speakers about the purported insecurity in Africa can be minimized. Joint efforts to clear misconceptions and overstatements will make prospective investors realize that the few cited disturbing incidents are just exceptions rather than the rule.
Dear Participants,
Venturing into new territories, both Chinese and African entrepreneurs need a lot of advice and guidance in respect of potential areas for trade and investment partnerships. They need a lot of information that would help them make decisions. The kind of information they need is usually reflected in their inquiries. Since the CABC is expected to serve as a focal point for Chinese and African entrepreneurs looking for investment and trade opportunities, it is imperative that it has such information in the ready. I call upon my fellow Board Members and Embassies to render their full cooperation in helping CABC acquire such information. I believe that if they get all they want from CABC, the prospective investors and traders will find it less necessary to go to Embassies except for visas or probably, on lesser occasions, for cross checking information. By so proposing, I am not trying to shift Embassy responsibilities to CABC, but it should just be viewed to be aimed at streamlining for efficiency whereby the joint effort is harmonious rather than disjointed.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
In conclusion, I once again thank the organizers for having given me this invaluable opportunity to participate in this auspicious gathering. I wish the Advisory Board excellent delivery.
I thank you for your attention.
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