Dar, Rabat ink 21 mega deals

TANZANIA and Morocco yesterday signed 21 mega deals involving about 4 trillion/-, thanks to the historic visit by Moroccan King Mohammed VI.

The inked deals cover the natural gas, energy, minerals, science and technology, agriculture, tourism, banking, insurance, export processing zones, transport and health sectors, involving the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Bank of Africa, Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN), Morocco’s Office Cherifien de Phosphate (OCP), Moroccan Insurer (MAMDA), Attijariwafa Bank and the government.

King Mohamed, whose trip to East Africa included a stopover in Rwanda last week, had talks with President John Magufuli in Dar es Salaam yesterday, focusing on broadening the cordial relations between the two friendly countries.

The Moroccan Monarch promised to support Tanzania’s renewable energy sector, promote private partnerships, south-south relations, support the tourism industry and improve trade relations between the two countries.

President John Magufuli, flanked by his duputy, MsSamia Suluhu Hassan, and Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said the visit by the Moroccan King signifies the long-term friendship between the two nations.

Dr Magufuli, speaking at his Magogoni office, consented to his guest’s plea to extend his stay in the city for a night. While Morocco has named one of the golf playgrounds after Dar es Salaam, Tanzania has one of her streets in the city named after Morocco.

“Our aim is to build the middle income nation powered by industries...the agreements we have signed here today mark greater mileage towards attaining this goal,” President Magufuli said, assuring that the Tanzanian economic growth was on track, having recorded an impressive 7.9 per cent growth in the second quarter as well as dwindling inflation at four percent.

“We want our economy to grow at an average of 7.2 percent come next year,” he added. Foreign Affairs and International Corporation Minister Dr Augustine Mahiga said the relationship between Tanzania and Morocco dates back to 1631.

Describing it as a special visit, Dr Mahiga said Tanzania has for the first time in history witnessed over 20 agreements and convections signed at once.

Impressed Trade, Industry and Investment Minister Charles Mwijage said the arrival of the Moroccan King will indeed help to improve trade and investments in the country.

He described the royal tour of the country, preceded by a three-day Tanzania-Morocco Business Forum, as highly successful, with fruitful deliberations through which Moroccan investors promised to support various sectors in the country.

Morocco’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Salahddine Mezouar and CGEM Chairperson Amine Bouarti expressed commitment to cooperate with Tanzania’s Private Sector in exchanging and sharing technical expertise.