Dar es Salaam. Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Tanzania government have signed a major agreement aimed at enhancing the country’s startup ecosystem to significantly support small innovative businesses.
The initiative is part of the larger “Project for Startup Ecosystem Enhancement in the Eastern African Region,” which was requested by the Tanzanian government in July 2023.
The agreement was signed on Friday, September 13, 2024, by the ICT Commission on behalf of the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Information Technology (MICIT) and Jica.
Speaking during the event, ICT Commission Director General, Dr Nkundwe Mwasaga, expressed his confidence in the project’s long-term impact.
“We are excited about today’s agreement and expect the project to deliver significant benefits and promote efficiency in the startup ecosystem in the country,” he said.
Jica’s senior assistant director for the Private Sector Development Group, Economic Development Department in Tokyo, Mr Mukai Naoto, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with the Tanzanian government.
“Jica is committed to collaborating with the Tanzanian government to address startup ecosystem challenges and ensure that the project yields results that benefit the country and its people,” said Mr Mukai.
The project is set to be launched in 2025 and span for three years, will focus on supporting MICIT in developing a comprehensive master plan.
The master plan will include steps for nurturing innovative startups, creating a favourable ecosystem for growth, and building capacity within the startup community.
Additionally, the initiative will oversee the implementation of pilot projects that support innovation, as well as capacity-building programmes for key players in the startup ecosystem.
The project will also review existing startup-related policies and legislation and provide recommendations for improvement, aimed at better supporting entrepreneurs.
The partnership between Jica and MICIT is expected to not only strengthen Tanzania’s startup ecosystem but also foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, placing the country at the forefront of regional technological advancement.
Share this news
This Year's Most Read News Stories
Elon Musk’s company to launch internet in Tanzania
Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service is expected to be available in Tanzania in the first quarter of 2023, with analysts saying the new development will boost the digital economy.Continue Reading
Zanzibar introduces $44 insurance fee for visitors
Visitors travelling to Zanzibar will now have to pay an insurance fee of $44 (about Sh118,360) with effect from September 1.Continue Reading
Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak
Tanzania today declared the end of Marburg virus disease outbreak after recording no new cases over 42 days since the death of the last confirmed case on 28 January 2025.
The outbreak, in which two confirmed and eight probable cases were recorded (all deceased), was the second the country has experienced. Both this outbreak, which was declared on 20 January 2025, and the one in 2023 occurred in the north-eastern Kagera region.
In response to the latest outbreak, Tanzania’s health authorities set up coordination and response systems, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, at the national and regional levels and reinforced control measures to swiftly detect cases, enhance clinical care, infection prevention as well as strengthen collaboration with communities to raise awareness and help curb further spread of the virus.
Growing expertise in public health emergency response in the African region has been crucial in mounting effective outbreak control measures. Drawing on experience from the response to the 2023 Marburg virus disease outbreak, WHO worked closely with Tanzanian health authorities to rapidly scale up key measures such as disease surveillance and trained more than 1000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical care and public health risk communication. The Organization also delivered over five tonnes of essential medical supplies and equipment.
“The dedication of frontline health workers and the efforts of the national authorities and our partners have paid off,” said Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania. “While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak.”
Building on the momentum during the acute phase of the outbreak response, measures have been put in place to reinforce the capacity of local health facilities to respond to potential future outbreaks. WHO and partners are procuring additional laboratory supplies and other equipment for disease detection and surveillance and other critical services.
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.
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.
Source: allafrica.com
