Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
26 December 2011
More American private investment will come to Tanzania in 2012 as Washington seeks to consolidate its bilateral trade ties with Dar es Salaam.
Describing the two countries relations as having strengthened this year, United States Ambassador to Tanzania, Alfonso Lenhardt said Symbion Power LLC has done a wonderful job in less than a year since entering the country because of its technical know how.
“People said it will take up to six months to fix Dowans turbines at Ubungo to start power generation but when Symbion came, they did it in six days,” Mr Lenhardt said during a luncheon with senior media executives, editors and journalists based in Dar es Salaam.
He said more American private companies will come to Tanzania next year because of the country’s conducive investment environment and defended activities of Agrisol Energy in Rukwa and Kigoma region, as important to ensure the country of food security and meet energy needs.
“Agrisol have not grabbed any land but were actually invited by the Prime Minister when he visited Iowa state two years ago and saw how American technology can produce sufficient food and energy from farms,” Lenhardt argued as senior media stakeholders expressed concern over allegations of land grabbing by Agrisol in western Tanzanian regions.
The US envoy pointed out that Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson will lead a business delegation that will visit the country early next year, as US private investors get interested to Dar es Salaam’s conducive policies.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Lenhardt has expressed hope that the country may qualify for another funding in the next five years under Millennium Challenge Corporation, after the current close to 700 million US dollars ends in two years time.
He said under the on-going MCC projects, the country is doing a good job and expressed hope that more funding will be coming.
“I just hope the country will get more funding under MCC after this phase comes to an end,” Ambassador Lenhardt pointed out.
Tanzania and United States governments through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), entered into agreement in 2008 when former US President George Bush and President Jakaya Kikwete signed an MCC Compact agreement during the former’s visit to Dar es Salaam.
The Compact is designed to contribute to a transformational change by addressing key impediments to economic growth. The Compact is based on the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA) for Tanzania Mainland and the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUZA).
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