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China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Image from Corporate Digest
A senior Tanzanian official recently described the "Belt and Road" initiative (BRI) proposed by China as a tool to promote the industrialization process in East African countries.
"When it comes to the Belt and Road Initiative I see it as a development strategy involving infrastructure development and investments in various areas," said Stella Manyanya, the Deputy Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
She said the BRI was striving to improve investments and trade facilitation, removing barriers for the creation of a sound business environment.
Manyanya was speaking at the Conference on Belt and Road Initiative and China-Tanzania Industrialization Cooperation jointly organized by the Chinese embassy in Tanzania and Tanzania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation among other partners in Dar es Salaam.
Manyanya said most of the recently completed Chinese construction of buildings, roads, bridges and other projects in Tanzania bore the symbol of Chinese expertise, skills and hard work.
Stephen Bainous Kargbo, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Representative to Tanzania, Mauritius and the East African Community (EAC), said the BRI was one key area of cooperation between UNIDO and China, in particular through UNIDO's promotion of cross-border investment among countries participating in the initiative.
"We strongly believe that the Belt and Road Initiative stands to become one of the largest and most effective platforms for international cooperation of the century," he added.
Wang Ke, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, said Tanzania as one of Africa's fastest growing economies has also made industrialization an important policy objective.
