Tanzania, Algeria to strengthen ties for economic development

Bernard Membe

Tanzania and Algeria have agreed to consolidate bilateral ties be for the development of the two countries.

“Tanzania and Algeria have always maintained excellent bilateral relations built on firm foundation established by the founding fathers of the two nations, the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and the late President Ben Bella,” said Tanzania Minister for foreign affairs and international cooperation, Bernard Membe on the occasion of the 58 anniversary of the Algerian Revolution marked in Dar es Salaam recently.

In a statement at the event attended by diplomats accredited to Tanzania and other delegates from within and outside the country, Membe said, “fifty eight years ago Algeria undertook a revolution that set the pace for independence for many African countries.” He said as a result to that end, Algeria provided invaluable material and moral support to various liberation movements during struggles towards independence.

“The continued desire to strengthen the historic relationship between our two countries culminated into the establishment of a Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation (JPC) in 1981,” said the Minister, adding that, “JPC provided so many opportunities including the Algerian government provision of over 400 scholarships to Tanzanians in various fields such Pharmacy, Tourism, Medecine, Languages, Geology, Hydrocarbons, French language translation, Islamic Studies and Military Strategy.”

Despite appreciating the excellent bilateral relations and cooperation, the minister called upon the two countries to further strengthen their cooperation in other areas, particularly in energy and agriculture sectors where Algeria has much expertise.

“Similarly we need to put more efforts to increase the volume of trade between the two countries,” he said specifying further that “There are a lot of commodities which can be exchanged between the two countries hence we, as governments, have a role to play by putting in place an enabling environment that would attract the participation of the private sectors in trade between the two countries.”

In his speech to mark the occasion the Algerian Ambassador to Tanzania Tabet Djelloul said, “Fifty-eight years ago, Algeria undertook a revolution that set the pace of change for the rest of the continent and pioneered the struggle for independence for African counties.”

On the on-going bilateral ties between the two countries, Ambassador Djelloul Tabet said Algeria and Tanzania had a fruitful political dialogue which enabled them to work closely in the international forum particularly in the Africa Union and the United Nations. He said apart from 59 Tanzanians who have been granted scholarships for 2012-2013 in Algerian universities there are other bilateral ties that blossom in various avenues ranging from regional and international cooperation to ushering increased opportunities in business and investments