Africa-Press – Tanzania. ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has said that his government is committed to ensure that all islanders benefit from the Blue Economy aspirations following various plans to ensure full involvement of citizens.
Mwinyi made the remarks on Saturday during a national dialogue held through zoom platform on Blue Economy philosophy for Tanzania’s development.
“When we came up with Blue Economy policy we targeted private sector involvement in execution of big projects and also empowerment of our people so that they can participate fully in building the country’s economy,” Mwinyi said.
He explained that participation of private sector is crucial because there are projects in tourism and ports that need huge capital and experience …” we are holding talks with private companies so that they can fix infrastructure at our ports and modern hotels.”
He said that in addition to empowering people, the government will make sure that commodities sold at the hotels are produced by Zanzibaris.
On fisheries, he said the government intends to empower fishermen by providing them with education on how they can conduct modern fishing, including providing them with capital and reliable markets.
“These reliable markets will be secured by attracting investors to come and invest in factories that will process marine products,” he said.
“Therefore Blue Economy is a government plan for empowering private sector regardless of their status so that they can cooperate with the government in all areas identified for building the economy,” he said.
He further said that through Blue Economy people will benefit by securing employment.
“We have pledged to provide 300,000 employment opportunities in a period of five years … these employments will not come from the government alone but private sector as well,” he said.
He said people will also get employments in ports, processing factories and seaweed crops.
“The government plans to cooperate with financial institutions to empower people so that they can employ themselves in areas which they are capable of doing so,” he said.
On his part, Minister of Blue Economy and Fisheries Abdalla Hussein Kombo said that five institutions have already showed interests in engaging themselves in the implementation of Blue Economy policy.
He said in addition to fisheries, Blue Economy also has various opportunities in agriculture especially in seaweed farming where the government has already set aside funds for development of the crop.
Permanent Secretary of the Fisheries docket in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Dr Rashid Tamatamah said the government is taking a number of efforts in boosting the sector.
He said plans are on card for construction of fisheries ports in Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania in a grand move to add value to the marine products.
“A total of 50bn/- has been set aside by the government for the construction of the fishing port at Kilwa Masoko area in Kilwa District, Lindi region,” he said.
Dr Tamatamah explained that in 2020 Zanzibar produced a total of 38,000 tonnes of fish and exported only 2,280, which is equivalent to 6 per cent.
For the Mainland side, the annual production was 497,000 with only 41,000 tonnes exported.
For his part, Ambassador of Tanzania to Malaysia Dr Ramadhani Dau said the embassy is doing all within its reach to attract investors and trading partners on marine products to invest in Tanzania.
“One company from Thailand has shown interest to invest in a fish processing factory in Zanzibar whereas another one from Indonesia is looking forward to constructing a fishing port in Zanzibar, this is a good stride on our economy,” he explained.
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