The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Damas Kanyabwoya
26 June 2009
Dodoma — The Government plans to make amendments to both the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) and Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Acts, it was said in parliament.
Presenting the budget speech for his ministry early this week, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda said the amendments would provide for an integral law that allows co-existence of the two types of industrial zones in the same facility.
The laws would also enable investors in the zones produce for both export and domestic markets while benefiting from incentives and facilities offered under both provisions.
"The amendments will be made in 2009/10 and will go together with provisions of training of entrepreneurs to enable them utilize fully opportunities in the EPZs and SEZs," he said.
The existing EPZ Act did not allow production for domestic consumption in the zones. In order for investors to benefit from EPZ incentives, production was supposed to be for export markets for more than 70 per cent.
But in an effort to boost industrial production, even when export markets become uncertain especially at this time of global recession and reduced consumption in the lucrative markets of developed countries, a new strategy was devised that sought to combine both the SEZs and EPZs.
Meanwhile, the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) registered 797 investment projects worth $3.6 billion in the financial year 2008/09 which provided 109,328 jobs.
"A total of 454 projects or 57 per cent were owned exclusively by Tanzanians, while 128 projects or 16 per cent were owned exclusively by foreigners. Other 215 or 27 per cent were joint ventures," Mr Pinda said.
He said the tourism sector led by registering a total of 241 projects in 2008/09. Other sectors that attracted investors include manufacturing (215 projects) and commercial building construction (124 projects).
According to Mr Pinda, regions that attracted most investments were Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, Kilimanjaro and Coast.
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