The Tanzania Board of External Trade (BET) and the Organization of the Comorian Employers (OPACO) officially welcomed the launch of a Comoro business center at the Mwalimu Nyerere International Trade Fair grounds during a ceremony at the end of December, however, the new promotion office was not expected to open and join the Tanzania business community in Dar es Salaam until later this month.
According to a report by The Daily News, Mr. Ramadhan Khalfan, the Director General of the BET, has indicated that this new addition to the business community in Tanzania will help to develop trade between the two countries.
“Last year we agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding to develop the trade and investment cooperation of these two countries,” he said while speaking in Dar es Salaam on the day of the launch.
Mr. Khalfan went on to say that, because of the close proximity between the archipelago and Tanzania, it would not be difficult for the two countries to increase their trade operations.
According to Mr. Khalfan, in spite of the fact that the population of Comoros is only 800,000, there are only a few industries on the islands so many products must be imported and, therefore, the cooperation between the countries could prove to be very beneficial to Tanzania.
According to the president of the Ngazidja Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, Fahmy Thabit, there is currently no information regarding the amount of business that is conducted between the two countries, but the new business promotion office is also expected to have a trade database so this information can begin to be recorded.
“There are no accurate figures on the business between the two countries,” he said in a report by The Citizen, “We hope the [new] office will help gather, collate and keep the data.”
Mr. Thabit went on to say that, in spite of a lack of definitive figures, there has been an increase in the amount of ships that operate between the two countries every month, from two to six, which seems to indicate an increase in business relations.
According to Mr. Thabit, the new office in Dar es Salaam will help to encourage business people in both countries to participate in trade fairs and exhibitions.
The original concept of this cooperation program between Tanzania and Comorian was designed under the framework of the Tanzacom program, which is currently still responsible for the implementation and management of the project.
According to Mr. Khalfan, one of the purposes and focuses of the business cooperation is shared medical and health extension services between the institutions within the two countries.
Mr. Ahmed Kondra, the Executive Director of OPACO, has also expressed a belief that the new business center will help to establish better and more efficient trade relations between Tanzanian and Comorian business people.
In addition to these improved trade relations, Mr. Kondra has indicated that the new Comoro business center will help to create new opportunities for general business operations between the two countries and will also help to establish a welcoming and beneficial environment for the effective exchange of business and business concepts.
