Tanzania supports India as permanent Security Council member

Underlining the excellent mutual ties going back to the pre-independence period, Tanzanian has assured India of its support for India's seeking a permanent seat in a reformed United Nations Security Council.

This was conveyed by Tanzania's President Jakaya M. Kikwete to Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur on Monday when she called on him here during her ongoing official visit to Tanzania, an Indian High Commision release here said.

Preneet Kaur during her visit also co-chaired, along with Tanzania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard K. Membe, the 8th session of the India-Tanzania Joint Commission on Economic, Technical and Scientific Cooperation held here July 8-9.

The Joint Commission reviewed earlier decisions and proposed fresh areas of cooperation for further strengthening India-Tanzania cooperation

Kaur, who arrived here from a visit to Mozambique, was leading a delegation of officials and business towards strengthening India's ties with countries in eastern Africa,

Bilateral trade has been growing and its volume crossed a billion dollars in 2010. India-Tanzania trade in 2012 was worth nearly $1.4 billion.

According to the high commission, India's Minister of State for External Affairs at a business forum here noted the growth of trade in goods, services and investments and was happy that Tanzanian exports to India are growing at a rapid pace thus narrowing the trade gap in India's favour.

Tanzania's exports to India grew from just over $200 million in 2011 to $480. India's exports to Tanzania in 2012 were worth $880 million.

Tanzania's exports to India include cashew nuts, pulses, ores and metal scrap, gemstones, spices, tanning anddyeing, coloring materials, non-ferrous metals and essential oils

Its imports from India include mineral fuels, oils, pharmaceuticals, motorvehicles, electrical machinery, yarn, clothing, and iron and steel products

Indian investments in Tanzania have also increased to a cumulative investment of $18.29.billion between 1990-2012 and rank as the third biggest investor in Tanzania.

Major Indian Companies in Tanzania include Bank of Baroda and Bank of India with two branches each in the country Tata International, National Mineral Development Corporation prospecting gold currently,Reliance Industries Ltd and Bharti Airtel, which acquired Zain Telecom in Tanzania.

India is partnering Tanzania in some of that country's major developmental projects, including supply of tractors and farm equipment, supply of vehicles for its armed forces, and in water augmentation projects.

Creation of a Centre for Excellence in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Dar-es-Salaam and another ICT project in Arusha is in the offing, the Indian High Commission said.

Preneet Kaur's visit to Mozambique and to Tanzania is significant from India's energy security perspective, with the recent discovery of large reserves of gas in the Indian Ocean off Mozambique and Tanzania.

--Indo-Asian news Service

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