Zanzibar President berates ambassadors to beef up their marketing efforts

Zanzibar President berates ambassadors to beef up their marketing efforts

Zanzibar Unguja.
 
Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi yesterday told ambassadors who represent Tanzania in foreign countries to beef up their effort to sell the country to potential investors.

He challenged Tanzanian envoys to better understand the country’s policies in order to use them in executing their duties.

Dr Mwinyi was addressing ambassadors gathering in the Isles for a week long meeting, which started on November 14.

“Your priorities should be aligned with goals set by the Union and Zanzibar governments,” he told envoys who will be addressed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan today.

Dr Mwinyi stressed on the need to diligently fulfill their responsibilities and understand the country’s image, policies and visions they carry through their representation abroad.

The visions and policies should be translated into action, stressed the Zanzibar President, noting that the move will enable colleagues in respective countries to easily receive and promote cooperation with respective countries, regions and international organisations.

He challenged the responsible ministry to continue building the capacity of staffs in order to increase their professionalism and efficiency.

Furthermore, Dr Mwinyi said envoys are obliged to build close cooperation with the private sector operating on both sides of the union in order to benefit with available opportunities.

The Zanzibar’s President said they should also abide by special directives issued on the Isles as stipulated in the Development Vision 2050 and the Development Plan 2021/26 documents, stressing on the need to strengthen the country’s economic diplomacy.

“You should continue working closely with both governments to meet objectives set especially on the need to secure better and reliable markets, attract investment, capital and tourists visiting the country,” he said.

He said Zanzibar is blessed with the ocean which is full of numerous resources, saying they are only challenged to ensure available wealth is utilized and sustained for the benefits of Tanzanians.

Dr Mwinyi said available resources should be used to uplift the life of the Zanzibaris, especially through implementation of the blue economy which comprises tourism, ports construction, fisheries, aquaculture, seaweeds farming, oil and gas exploration and transportation.

He said tourism was a rapidly growing sector in the Isles despite recent challenges, hinting that 61,388 tourists visited the Isles in August, 2022 as compared to 34,000 who toured the same period last year.

The minister for Foreign and East African Corporation, Dr Stergomena Tax said envoys have the role to oversee the country’s interests abroad, stressing that they have been directed to strengthen cooperation with the countries of representation.

She said the government would accelerate the Foreign Policy 2001 review in order to align it with the ongoing global changes.

The dean of Tanzanian ambassadors, Dr Asharose Migiro said among the topics discussed include the global trends so that the envoys can effectively implement the economic diplomacy policy.

The ambassadors were also taken through the opportunities available in Zanzibar and its Blue Economy plan, she said.

“We promise to continue with our work to represent our country and strengthen relationships with other countries by following the priorities of the nation and bringing more investors,” she said.

Dr Mwinyi said that the government has taken deliberate measures to improve the business and investment environment by cutting to secure their investment permit.

He said, an investor with complete documents can complete all the procedures within 24 hours and gets the certificate.

Dr Mwinyi said the government has improved the airports and ports to simplify transportation in Zanzibar.

“If you return to your work stations, explain clearly the improvements that have been made in order to encourage traders and investors to come to Zanzibar,” he said.

Agricultural activities in Zanzibar include growing cloves, spices and seaweed, which generate foreign currencies.

“Support the government efforts in finding new markets for processed products,” he said, adding that the mission is to ensure that more processing industries are built in Zanzibar to avoid exporting raw products.

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Tanzania Confirms Outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease

Dodoma — Tanzania today confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for the virus following investigations and laboratory analysis of suspected cases of the disease.

President of the Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, made the announcement during a press briefing alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in the country’s administrative capital Dodoma.

“Laboratory tests conducted in Kabaile Mobile Laboratory in Kagera and later confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one patient as being infected with the Marburg virus. Fortunately, the remaining suspected patients tested negative,” the president said. “We have demonstrated in the past our ability to contain a similar outbreak and are determined to do the same this time around.”

A total of 25 suspected cases have been reported as of 20 January 2025, all of whom have tested negative and are currently under close follow-up, the president said. The cases have been reported in Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera.

“We have resolved to reassure the general public in Tanzania and the international community as a whole of our collective determination to address the global health challenges, including the Marburg virus disease,” said H.E President Hassan.

WHO is supporting Tanzanian health authorities to enhance key outbreak control measures including disease surveillance, testing, treatment, infection prevention and control, case management, as well as increasing public awareness among communities to prevent further spread of the virus.

“WHO, working with its partners, is committed to supporting the government of Tanzania to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible, and to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania,” said Dr Tedros. “Now is a time for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease.”

Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.

“The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the government are crucial in addressing the threat of this disease at the local and national levels as well as preventing potential cross-border spread,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our priority is to support the government to rapidly scale up measures to effectively respond to this outbreak and safeguard the health of the population,”

Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in March 2023 – the country’s first – in Kagera region, in which a total of nine cases (eight confirmed and one probable) and six deaths were reported, with a case fatality ratio of 67%.

In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.

Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials. Although several promising candidate medical countermeasures are currently undergoing clinical trials, there is no licensed treatment or vaccine for effective management or prevention of Marburg virus disease. However, early access to treatment and supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improve survival.

Source: allafrica.com

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