PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has urged local businesspeople to join hands in order to reach global major manufacturers of different products and inform them of Tanzania's strategic location for trade.
Premier made the plea on Saturday evening when he met the Tanzanian businesspeople in St Petersburg, Russia, after the conclusion of the second Russia-Africa Summit between Africa Heads of State and Governments and Russia government.
Mr Majaliwa attended the meeting on behalf of the President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In his meeting with the businesspeople, Mr Majaliwa told the group that the government values their role and that it would always support them to do better.
"Introduce more industries, improve your businesses and meet with various investors," he stated.
Equally, he used the platform to congratulate 19 Tanzanian businesspeople who participated in the trade exhibitions held alongside the summit.
They include those owning companies focusing on education, health, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, tourism, construction, research and consultancy.
"I commend you for taking initiative of coming here to take advantage of this summit and to search for new markets for your products and seek trade partners.
Private sector is crucial for the country's development. I want you to recognise your huge contribution towards growth of our country," he said.
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"Let me confirm that you have high capacity of seeking capital and various resources," he stated.
Reading a speech on behalf of his fellow businesspeople, Chairperson Otieno Igogo said they went with various products with intent of finding markets in Russia.
Mr Igogo mentioned some of products as cashewnuts, sunflower oil, coffee, spices, rice, groundnuts, vanilla, various minerals, grapes and others.
He informed the Prime Minister that ten (10) out of 19 Tanzanian companies that participated in the Expo forum managed to sign trade cooperation agreements with 11 Russian companies.
Five more Tanzanian companies are still in talks with Russian companies.
"Some of Tanzanian companies have signed the contracts and others are in talks for investment in fruit processing, exploration and mining of minerals, oil and gas," he explained.
On the previous day while briefing on what transpired in the summit, the Premier said, among others, the conference discussed promotion of crop trade between Africa and Russia, with the Asian nation becoming a direct market or use its friends.
In order to attain the plans, each country has been emphasised to direct more efforts on agriculture.
Tanzania presented its strategy of promoting agricultural growth, including irrigation farming.
Mr Majaliwa also informed the African leaders on President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan's strategy of providing fee-free education and provision of teaching materials in order to relieve parents from the burden of covering education cost for their children.
