SPEECH BY AMBASSADOR OMAR R. MAPURI OF TANZANIA TO CHINA AT THE “A PROMISING LAND” GATHERING, WANG COFFEE SHOP
16TH June, 2007.

Distinguished Organizers, The China Business Magazine and Guostar Enterprises,
Dear Colleagues, Excellencies the Ambassadors Present,
Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is a great honour and indeed a singular privilege for me to have been accorded this opportunity to address this very auspicious occasion of appraising “A Promising Land”. I believe that this selected group of participants is fairly representative of at least Beijing if not the entire China. As such, I hope through this audience, we will be reaching out to a wider audience of curious Chinese people this afternoon and later.

On behalf of Tanzania, and indeed on my own, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the organizers for having considered my presence and my country’s participation in this gathering worthwhile.

Dear Colleagues, Participants,
Since the successful Forum on China – Africa Cooperation Summit held in Beijing November, 2006, my Embassy is being inundated with inquiries from curious Chinese who wish to know more about Tanzania and its tourist attractions and investment opportunities. I believe the same is true in respect of all the other African Embassies in Beijing. Our Embassies are already facilitating contacts between Chinese entrepreneurs and their African counterparts who are keen to make use of the facilities offered in the relevant provisions of the eight measures presented to the Summit by President Hu Jintao. Now that the friendship and cooperation between China and African countries is increasingly taking the form of people to people contacts, events like this one which expose existing and potential opportunities, are essential. For example, in respect of Tanzania, as more tourist attractions and investment opportunities are revealed through such forums as this one, Chinese people will come to realize that Tanzania is a lot more than just the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) which they have for a long time held it synonymous with the two countries. Above all, they will find the opportunities to be platforms for closer cooperation with their Tanzanian counterparts.

It is in this regard that I was very happy to learn that this afternoon’s forum would include experience sharing on various countries’ comparative advantages especially in the areas of tourist attractions and investment opportunities. In these two areas, Tanzanians feel exceptionally blessed.

In the area of tourism, Tanzania is carried high by Mount Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa. We also take pride in having the 7th New Wonder of the Natural World, namely the mighty Serengeti National Park,the paradise of migrating animals. Also found only in Tanzania, is the Ngorongoro Crater with its unique phenomenon of which humans and wild animals share the ecosystem in a captivating natural setting. Overwhelmed by the thrilling sight of a Maasai warrior watching his cattle grazing amid herds of zebra, giraffe, gazelle, wilder beast and other wild animals of the more hostile types, tourists who have been at the reserve have never missed rating the Ngorongoro as “the 8th Wonder of the World”. All these eye catching sceneries are located in Northern Tanzania.

The list of national parks and game reserves scattered in different parts of Tanzania is never exhaustive, as it always grows. However, for the purpose of this event which I consider introductory, I will mention just a few, namely : the vast Selous Game Reserve; the Manyara National Park with its tree climbing lions; the Tarangire National Park which is the natural raising ground for elephants and home to the rare black giraffe; the Gombe National Park which has for years hosted the World famous research on Chimpanzees’ social life. Other national parks and game reserves include Mkomazi, Ruaha, Mikumi, Mahale, Katavi and the latest declared Saadani. All these wildlife havens with varying characteristics always engrave life long memories into the minds tourists who get the chance to make a tour of them.

Tanzanian tourist attractions are found not only in the wilderness and forests, but also along the 1400 kilometer east coastline stretching from the northern city of Tanga down to the southern town of Mtwara, with Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania and Bagamoyo, the fabulous transit center of the 19th Century slave trade of East Africa, perched in between. Lying off the coast, are the legendary Spice Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba which offer an unlimited range of fascinations ranging from the historical relics of the slave trade, European explorer’s missions, Arab occupation and oriental cultural influence to pristine white sandy beaches, which have become the most newly discovered world paradise for leisure holiday makers and honeymooners.

Dear Participants,

On the side of investment opportunities, Tanzania has also a lot to offer. Agriculture and Agro-based industries top the national priority list. Tanzania is a producer of a wide range of cash crops of the like of cotton, sisal, coffee, tea, cashew nut, sugar cane, cloves, simsim, soy bean and a wide variety of fruits and oil seeds. Tanzania is also rich in livestock and sea products. Investments in ventures that will increase production and add value to such products are very highly valued.

The Mining, Petroleum and Gas sector offers an unlimited range of opportunities. Tanzania is currently Africa’s third largest producer of gold and the only producer of Tanzanite in the World. Tanzania has huge deposits of natural gas, iron ore and coal. Various kinds of gem stones are scattered all around the country, and substantial amounts of rare minerals like uranium and nickel have been discovered. Prospects for oil are also high.

Investment in ventures that will increase and improve the tourist receiving facilities like hotels and restaurants are in line with the tourism promotion drive. Other investment hotcakes include the Energy, Infrastructure, Construction and Manufacturing sectors. The list of opportunities cannot be exhausted within the short time we have today. Suffice to say that Tanzania has a lot of untapped potential in very many sectors.

Ladies and Gentlemen

Tanzania’s credibility as a worthwhile investment destination is underlined by being rated among the ten best reformers of the World for two years consecutively, namely 2005 and 2006. This is a result of concerted and continuous efforts to improve the investment climate. Investments are adequately protected by law. We have a World renowned vibrant one stop centre, i.e the Tanzania Investment Centre. Investment in Tanzania opens for you the opportunity to access the wider markets of the SADC and the East African Cooparation Regions to both of which Tanzania is a member. Tanzania also qualifies for preferential quotas to the American and EU markets through the AGOA and EBA facilities respectively. Above all, Tanzania is renowned the World over as Africa’s haven of peace, thus assuring the security of investments.
Ladies and Gentlemen
As advised, we have brought with us some few promotional materials on both tourist attractions and investment opportunities in forms of DVDs, VCDs, brochures and samples so that you may have a glimpse of what is on offer in Tanzania.
I know that my Colleagues are also eagerly waiting for the opportunity to share their fascinating experiences with us. Let me stop here by once again thanking the organizers for this incredible initiative. I welcome everyone here to Tanzania – The Land of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. KARIBUNI TANZANIA.

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