TRADE volume between Tanzania and Ghana stood at 20.2 million US dollars (approxi- mately 47bn/-) between the year 2016 and 2021, in which the former exported 6,434 metric tonnes of manufactured goods to the West African country.
The disclosure of the fig- ures comes in the wake of Pres- ident Samia Suluhu Hassan's three-day working visit to Gha- na which started on Monday.
Tanzania's High Commissioner to Nigeria, who is also accredited to 15 countries in West Africa including Ghana, Dr Benson Bana, explained during an interview that balance of trade was in favour of Tanzania, which exported goods worth 15.2 million US dollars (about 34.9bn/-).
On the other hand, Ghana exports to Tanzania stood at 2,533 metric tonnes with a total value of 5 million US dollars (about 11.5bn/-) during the period, the envoy told the 'Daily News' in a telephone interview from Accra, Ghana, on Monday. Dr Bana explained further that during the period under review, some 15,500 Ghanaians visited Tanzania, translating to an average of 2,585 visitors from that country per annum.
Dr Bana said Tanzania aims to increase the number of tourists from Ghana by 22 per cent from the current annual average of 2,585 to about 4,500 visitors by the year 2023.
Trade volume between the two countries whose relations stem from founding presi- dents of Tanzania and Ghana, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Kwame Nkurumah, respectively, is set to increase after President Samia's visit as well as a business forum between the two countries.
Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, is on Saturday slated to officiate at the Tanzania-Ghana Tourism, Investment and Trade Forum (TG-TITF).
The seasoned diplomat is expected to deliver a keynote address that will set the scene for the forum and raise the curtain at the event, according to organizers of the event.
Tanzania High Commission in Abuja, which is accredited to 15 West African countries as well as African Development Bank (AfDB) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), intends to organize the strategic business forum.
The forum brings together committed, credible and like- minded stakeholders in Ghana in the sectors of tourism, invest- ment and trade.
The forum will have five mutually supportive objectives, namely enhancing participants' awareness of Tanzania's tourism attractions, drawing the attention of participants on the investment opportunities in Tanzania as well as the incentives for investors. Moreover, the initiatives would also lay down a strong foundation upon which the objectives of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could be attained.
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Expected outcomes of the forum include signing of Memorandum of Understand- ing (MoU) between Tanzania Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) and Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZNCC) with Ghana National Chamber of Commerce (GNCCI).
There will also be speeches to be delivered by selected eminent persons, including representatives from the government of Ghana, president of Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Dr Ken Kwaku, Executive Chairman of the Kwaku Group; and Chief Executive Of- ficer of Ghana Tourism Board.
"The forum is a platform to know more about Tanzania's tourism attractions and available investment and business oppor- tunities.
The event will consequently take the Tanzania and Ghana bilateral ties to greater heights.
