Namibia-Tanzania trade stands at less than US$8 million despite potential

By: Envaalde Matheus

Tanzanian High Commissioner to Namibia, Caesar Waitara, says current trade between the two countries remains modest and does not reflect the full potential of the two economies.

Waitara said Namibia’s expertise in export-quality beef and Tanzania’s agricultural production, including maize and maize flour, offer opportunities to deepen trade and investment between the two countries.

The total bilateral trade between the two nations is estimated at less than US$8 million.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s June State Visit to Tanzania, saw the signing of four cooperation agreements on trade, SMEs, defence and local government.

Waitara says the two countries are working to strengthen an economic partnership that has evolved from political solidarity.

He said both governments should improve the ease of doing business by cutting bureaucracy and removing trade barriers.

“These two governments, what they need to do is to continue to make a conducive environment for doing business, you know, for instance in Tanzania right now we have one stop centre whereby if you come there to invest in Tanzania. It will take you 24 hours to register your business,” he said.

Tanzanian director of economic diplomacy in the foreign affairs ministry, John Ulanga, said the private sector must take advantage of opportunities to drive trade and investment.

“The reason we have representatives in all these countries is to support the private sector to now take advantage, sell more to Namibia, import from Namibia, look for investments in Namibia to come to Tanzania, invest in Namibia,” he said.

He said the role of government is to facilitate trade by removing barriers, investing in infrastructure, and supporting private sector growth.

Former Tanzanian Cabinet minister and first president of the Pan-African Parliament, Getrude Mongella, urged Africa to trade more with itself, saying the continent must reduce reliance on imports and make better use of its own resources.

“Economic independence, why should an American work hard to get money and then donate it to me? I don’t like it. I would like to see us working hard, using our natural resources and then sharing it with Namibia, with my neighbours and so on and so forth,” she said.

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