AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government of Tanzania has been strengthening relations with other countries across the world.
This is because it believes in solidarity and cooperation in regional and international affairs. It has also been contributing considerably to the UN peacekeeping missions.
Accordingly, Tanzania has opened embassies in different countries, which have also opened theirs in the country to strengthen bilateral links.
India, for instance, has been a close friend of Tanzania for many years and to prove this, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi on Friday held talks with President John Magufuli on a few issues.
In a telephone conversation, the Indian Prime Minister praised President Magufuli for building the nation and reaching the stage it had so far reached and wished Tanzanians all the best in the coming general election later this year.
The two leaders talked about good bilateral relations, trade, friendship and historical relations between Tanzania and India.
President Magufuli too hailed Prime Minister Modi for a recap of the G20 summit and called on international financial institutions issuing debt relief to consider Tanzania which has also suffered from the effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
President Magufuli also congratulated the Indian Prime Minister on research on coronavirus vaccines, saying he believed they would be successful and Tanzania would be among the beneficiaries, although coronavirus cases in the country had decreased considerably.
He pointed out that India was among the five leading trading partners of Tanzania and an important source of essential machinery and pharmaceutical products.
Not only that, President Magufuli appreciated soft loans from the government of India for various development projects in the country.
There are, of course, many things we can mention which are a result of this long time friendly relationship between Tanzania and India.
In the past, Tanzania used to refer some patients with complications to be treated in India where they were well treated and flown back to the country after recovery. Of course, it was costly to travel to India and be treated and then being flown back.
Now Tanzania has groomed its own specialist doctors and has improved health services to the extent that the patients who used to be referred to India can now be treated in the country at affordable costs.
This is a great achievement, thanks to President Magufuli’s stand on building the capacity of Tanzanian specialist doctors, purchasing modern medical equipment and medicine and constructing more hospitals and upgrading others to the referral status.
It suffices to say that Tanzania and India will remain good friends and will continue cooperating in many things that meet the interests of both countries.
