Zanzibar — PRESIDENT Hussein Mwinyi yesterday graced the official opening of the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Zanzibar further promising to improve the environment for investments.
At a short ceremony held at Stone Town, the President expressed his gratitude to the UAE for the opening of the Consulate General, noting: "The Consulate General in Zanzibar will boost our relations in various areas."
Presiding over, the Minister of State- Office of the President (Labour, Economy and Investments) Mr Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga said: "Most of the inconveniences to people in Zanzibar particularly members of the business community to apply for Visas, are now over. Let us make the best use of the consulate."
In response, the Consulate General Ambassador Saleh Al-Theeb Alhemeiri said the office will strengthen the relations between them and ease also the implementation of UAE support to Zanzibar.
He added: "It will also bridge friendship between the Isles and UAE and I believe, it will also open doors to students and trainings for Zanzibaris."
Elaborating, the Consulate pointed out that Zanzibar/UAE cooperation has been developing day by day particularly in areas of trade, investments and development aid, adding: "We will continue to encourage investments in Zanzibar as it has improved the business environment."
Commenting, an Officer at the Consulate, Ms Zuhura Makame Juma said the office temporarily will operate at the Park Hyatt Hotel until they complete building their own office.
Meanwhile, President Mwinyi has said that religious and civil institutions have a great contribution to the government, especially in the overall responsibility of promoting peace and development in the country.
Elaborating, he noted that religious institutions have the responsibility of providing spiritual services, especially in building a nation with peace, solidarity and values for society, which strengthens peace and development.
Making the speech, while meeting Seventh Day Adventist Church, the main province of Southern Tanzania Senior Pastor, Dr Godwin Lekundayo, who visited him at the State House to introduce himself, he further said that such institutions have developed a good cooperation with the government in the welfare of the better society and developing the unity of faith and spirituality in promoting righteous talents.
"We have always wanted to develop our relationship between the government and other non-governmental institutions, including religious institutions, due to the results of that cooperation," he said.
He added: " Peace, stability, unity and reconciliation are basic things in any country and when there is no peace, many things fail to be implemented at the right time, including development and even freedom of worship.
"When we don't have peace or the citizens are not united, then all things are missing, whether it is development or rituals, they cannot be implemented due to the lack of peace."
On strengthening community services including the construction of health centres, schools and clean and safe water services in Zanzibar, Dr Mwinyi said, the government acknowledges the efforts made by religious institutions to strengthen community services, adding that he will cooperate with the institutions in bringing development to the country.
In a related development, President Mwinyi congratulated the leaders for continuing to preach and encourage peace through their beliefs, adding that despite the nation having a mixture of believers with different beliefs, it is moving forward due to the great contribution made by religious institutions in encouraging stability and harmony between them.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
However, he asked the religious institutions to continue supporting the government in raising a nation with integrity and obedient youth to build a nation with better leaders
On his part, the Senior Pastor, Dr Lekundayo praised the development efforts made by the government of the eighth phase of the Zanzibar Revolution for the steps taken within the short period of his leadership.
In addition, the leader congratulated both the Governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Revolutionary of Zanzibar for their efforts to strengthen unity and solidarity for their people regardless of the differences in the beliefs of the people, adding that their leadership is truly honored and blessed.
However, he promised close cooperation with the government in developing a nation with ethical sects, spiritual beliefs, traditions and the fear of fearing and glorifying God.
