Africa-Press – Tanzania. AS Zanzibar strives to achieve its development goals by undertaking various measures centered on blue economy policy, former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair has pledged to support the Isle, particularly in priority areas.
This was revealed yesterday after the former United Kingdom Prime Minister who is also Head of ‘Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBIGC)’ paid a courtesy call on President Hussein Mwinyi at the Zanzibar State House.
“We have been working in various countries in Africa, so the collaboration with the government of Zanzibar will expand the scope,” Mr Blair told his host as he commended Mwinyi and the people of Zanzibar for maintaining peapromising to pay regular visits to the East African Spice Islands once travel restrictions created by Covid-19 pandemic are removed.
According to a press statement from the State House, Mr Blair through his TBIGC, will support Tanzanians to realise their dream of having a better economy and essential social services.
In response, President Dr Mwinyi expressed gratitude to the retired British Prime Minister for visiting Zanzibar, and pledged to support people oriented development programmes being implemented by the government.
“Our meeting and talks with you, being one of the experienced leaders in the world, gives us hope for change towards achieving the planned development goals,” Mwinyi said as he briefed the former Prime Minister on the efforts being taken by the eighth phase government of Zanzibar.
Priority sector for Zanzibar development include improved tourism, fishing industry, marine, air, road, and Oil & Natural Gas development, all being pushed by the blue economy agenda lifted by Mwinyi.
On Thursday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan met and held talks with Mr Blair at the Dar es Salam State House, where she reaffirmed government commitment to establish local vaccine manufacturing factories.
Mr Blair informed the President that over the past one year and a half his institute has been dealing with managing the Covid-19 situations in 16 African countries.
