THE visit by US President Barack Obama to
Tanzania next week, three months after another visit by Chinese
President Xi Jinping, shows that Tanzania commands global recognition
despite being a developing country.
President Obama is expected in Tanzania from July 1, this year, as part of his African tour that will also see him visit Senegal and South Africa. The US leader was expected to start his trip in Senegal.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Bernard Membe said yesterday the state visits by leaders of the world's powerful nations in just a span of three months, have proved that they recognise development efforts being taken by President Jakaya Kikwete.
"It is just recently that President Kikwete was also among few leaders from developing countries who were invited ahead of the G8 meeting that was held in Northern Ireland," Mr Membe told Clouds FM Radio's morning talk show 'Power Breakfast.'
The minister said with a tinge of bitterness that it was strange to note that some local politicians belittle development efforts by the government while the same efforts are appreciated by superpowers such as the US and China.
Meanwhile, the Acting Head of Communications in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Mkumbwa Ally, said the US leader will tour the Symbion gas-fired power plant at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam, among other places.
"While at Symbion, President Obama is expected to deliver a speech on US policy on power generation that covers seven countries in Africa including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and South Sudan," Mr Ally said.
The Executive Director of a local policy research think-tank Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), Dr Bohela Lunogelo, said Tanzania has a lot to benefit from the state visit.
"It should be noted that Tanzania is among the largest beneficiaries of aid from the US through packages such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which provides funds for improvement of electricity, infrastructure and health," Dr Lunogelo said in a telephone interview.
He added that during the visit, Mr Obama would want to see how aid provided by his country has benefitted developing nations, in addition to identifying areas which may need more assistance.
Apart from aid, Dr Lunogelo said Tanzania is also likely to benefit through trade partnerships between local and American investors since Mr Obama's delegation will also include business persons. United States is among Tanzania's major development partners and last year alone, it provided the latter with over 750 million US dollars in bilateral assistance in health, education, power and infrastructure, among others.
The first black US president with paternal roots in neighbouring Kenya will be accompanied by a delegation of 700 people, including private businesspeople, diplomats and government officials. Tanzania is the only country in the five-member East African Community (EAC) that will be visited by Mr Obama, who will also use the tour to underline trade potential of the regional block through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Addressing a news conference in Dar es Salaam recently, US Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Alfonso Lenhardt, said the visit by the American leader will underscore America's commitment to cementing economic and trade ties with Africa.
In another development, the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander, Mr Suleiman Kova, told a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday that some roads in Dar es Salaam will be closed to traffic for the entire duration of the visit, which will come after the Smart Partnership International Dialogue that starts tomorrow in the city.
Some 14 Heads of State and Government are expected in the country for the international meeting, while the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrives today for a two-day state visit ahead of the conference.
President Obama is expected in Tanzania from July 1, this year, as part of his African tour that will also see him visit Senegal and South Africa. The US leader was expected to start his trip in Senegal.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Bernard Membe said yesterday the state visits by leaders of the world's powerful nations in just a span of three months, have proved that they recognise development efforts being taken by President Jakaya Kikwete.
"It is just recently that President Kikwete was also among few leaders from developing countries who were invited ahead of the G8 meeting that was held in Northern Ireland," Mr Membe told Clouds FM Radio's morning talk show 'Power Breakfast.'
The minister said with a tinge of bitterness that it was strange to note that some local politicians belittle development efforts by the government while the same efforts are appreciated by superpowers such as the US and China.
Meanwhile, the Acting Head of Communications in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Mkumbwa Ally, said the US leader will tour the Symbion gas-fired power plant at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam, among other places.
"While at Symbion, President Obama is expected to deliver a speech on US policy on power generation that covers seven countries in Africa including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and South Sudan," Mr Ally said.
The Executive Director of a local policy research think-tank Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), Dr Bohela Lunogelo, said Tanzania has a lot to benefit from the state visit.
"It should be noted that Tanzania is among the largest beneficiaries of aid from the US through packages such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which provides funds for improvement of electricity, infrastructure and health," Dr Lunogelo said in a telephone interview.
He added that during the visit, Mr Obama would want to see how aid provided by his country has benefitted developing nations, in addition to identifying areas which may need more assistance.
Apart from aid, Dr Lunogelo said Tanzania is also likely to benefit through trade partnerships between local and American investors since Mr Obama's delegation will also include business persons. United States is among Tanzania's major development partners and last year alone, it provided the latter with over 750 million US dollars in bilateral assistance in health, education, power and infrastructure, among others.
The first black US president with paternal roots in neighbouring Kenya will be accompanied by a delegation of 700 people, including private businesspeople, diplomats and government officials. Tanzania is the only country in the five-member East African Community (EAC) that will be visited by Mr Obama, who will also use the tour to underline trade potential of the regional block through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Addressing a news conference in Dar es Salaam recently, US Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Alfonso Lenhardt, said the visit by the American leader will underscore America's commitment to cementing economic and trade ties with Africa.
In another development, the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander, Mr Suleiman Kova, told a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday that some roads in Dar es Salaam will be closed to traffic for the entire duration of the visit, which will come after the Smart Partnership International Dialogue that starts tomorrow in the city.
Some 14 Heads of State and Government are expected in the country for the international meeting, while the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrives today for a two-day state visit ahead of the conference.
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