Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation gives his opening remarks during the Meeting of the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation between Tanzania and Oman. The meeting has been held since 24 February, 2013 at Hyatt Regency (Kilimanjaro) Hotel in Dar es Salaam and is expected to be concluded today.
Delegation from Oman listening to Hon. Membe's opening remarks.
Tanzania Delegation that included Government and Private Institutions also were in attendance.
OPENING STATEMENT BY HON. BERNARD KAMILLIUS MEMBE
(MP), MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION OF THE UNITED
REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE
TANZANIA – OMAN JOINT PERMANENT COMMISSION OF COOPERATION SCHEDULED 24th
FEBRUARY, 2013
Honourable Yousuf
bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of the
Sultanate of Oman,
Honorable
Ministers from the United Republic of Tanzania,
Honorable
Ministers accompanying the Head of Delegation of Oman,
Distinguished
Senior Officials of both Delegation
Distinguished
Delegates from Tanzania and Oman,
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
I am
pleased to welcome home Honourable Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah,
Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman and your
delegation to Tanzania, and to this First Joint Permanent Commission between
the United Republic of Tanzania and the Sultanate of Oman.
Tanzania
is both second and first home to some of Omani’s generations. History reminds
us that once the headquarters of the Sultanate of Oman was in Zanzibar. The
legacy and influence of Omani presence is well traced in both Zanzibar and
Tanzania mainland. We share the history, Swahili language and many cultural
aspects. Today we are determined to share prosperity and the future.
Distinguished Delegates
This first meeting of
the Joint Permanent Commission between Tanzania and Oman is indeed a testimony
of a renewed interest by our Governments of Tanzania and Oman. Our two
countries share long cultural, historical and blood relations. We have
cooperating very well informally for centuries. It is about time to formalize
our relations through this formal commission, a rightful legal framework to ensure
our cooperation further enhanced and strengthened.
As we are all aware a
more fruitful cooperation between any two countries highly depends on a properly
structured legal framework that binds the two countries together. We therefore call this meeting to chart out thematic
discussions on issues of common concern and interest to our two brotherly
countries such as, Housing, Water Supply, Agriculture, Livestock,
Fisheries, Transport, Infrastructure, Health, Natural Resources, Tourism,
Trade, Industry, Energy and Minerals, Education and Labour Matters.
Distinguished
Delegates
The
memories of the successful State Visit of H.E Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President
of the United Republic of Tanzania in the Sultanate of Oman in October, 2012,
are still very fresh to us. On that visit, the two sides signed three (3) Agreements
and Memoranda of Understanding. These include:
- Agreement
on Investment Promotion and Reciprocal Protection;
- Memorandum
of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Archives;
- Memorandum
of Understanding on Establishment of Joint Business Council so as to
facilitate and speed up investment and business between our two brotherly
countries.
Internal
negotiations are continuing at different stages in regard to the other bilateral
agreements and Memorandum of Understanding between our Governments are in
different status. The completion and signing of these agreements are crucial
towards putting in place a strong foundation for cooperation in different
sectors. I therefore urge our two sides to expedite the negotiation process so
that we can sign the MoUs at our earliest opportunity. These remaining draft agreements and Memoranda
are:-
a) The Draft Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations
between Oman and the United Republic of Tanzania:
b) The Draft Agreement on Higher Education
between the United Republic of Tanzania and Oman.
c) The Draft Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and
Fiscal Evasion:
d) The Draft Memorandum of Understanding on
Maritime Cooperation between the United Republic of Tanzania and Oman:
e) The Draft Agreement on labour Matters.
Your
Excellency and Distinguished Delegates
The Government of Tanzania very much
welcomed the introduction of the Oman Air Service to Dar es Salaam on 3rd
June, 2010, as a result of the signing of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement
(BASA) between our two countries. We are glad to note that the Airline
increased the frequency of flights from just a few per week to daily services.
It is no doubt that we will record in near future increased contacts between
our peoples.
Distinguished
Delegates
Official records of trade between Tanzania and Oman stood is by
all account low. This statistics is definitely missing the blossoming informal
trade between our people, as a result of long existing family ties.
I would like to therefore
urge our two countries to make concerted efforts to use the said legal
framework to create an enabling environment in which public and private sector
entities can invest in each other’s economy. The strategic competitive
advantages on the Oman side (ample capital and technical know-how) if combined
with the huge comparative advantages (land, natural resources and labour force)
on the Tanzania side, will create the required synergy for sustainable
development and mutual economic benefit to both sides.
I would like also to renew our Government’s
invitation to Omani business people to invest in the various sectors of our
economy. I assure that Tanzania has a very conducive investment regime that is
among the best in the region. Tanzania should be a launch pad for Oman business
and investment to the South and East Africa markets. Investing in Tanzania gives you access to the
SADC Region and as well as to the East African Community member countries, with
a 200 million market population. I also urge the Government of Oman to open its
doors and allow Tanzanian good and services to enter into the Omani economy.
Your Excellency
To that effect,
closer co-operation between the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture (TCCIA) and Zanzibar Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture
and their Omani counterpart should therefore, be encouraged through the Joint
Business Council between the two countries as this would boost up trade and
investments and further strengthen these ties.
Your Excellency
It is quite difficult
to explain the strong relations between Oman and Tanzania in a one speech,
rather in volume of books. It suffices to take this opportunity to reiterate
Tanzania’s confidence in our relations, and our resolve to deepening and
strengthening them for the good of our successive generations. We remain
grateful to H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for their
blessings and personal support to strengthen the relations between our two
countries.
With this
few remarks I once again say to our dear Omani brothers
“karibuni
sana mujisikie mko nyumbani ndugu zetu wa Oman”.
AHSANTENI
KWA KUNISIKILIZA
