Vietnam, Tanzania Boost Two-way Ties

At the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Tanzanian Prime Minister Mizengo Peter Pinda paid an official visit to Vietnam from March 29 to 31, 2010. During his Vietnam tour, Mr Mizengo Peter Pinda worked with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and met with VCCI President Vu Tien Loc.

 

At the meeting, the two sides discussed measures to boost bilateral economic and investment cooperation, especially agriculture, education, aquaculture and trade.

 

This year, Vietnam and Tanzania celebrated the 45^th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. The two sides signed the Trade Agreement (October 2001), Convention on Economic, Commercial, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, Agreement on Establishment of Joint Government Committee (December 2004), Agreement on Cooperation between VCCI and the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (September 2006).

 

In agricultural cooperation, Tanzania readily gives a large agricultural land area for Vietnam to cultivate and requests Vietnam to send agricultural and irrigational experts to Tanzania. The African nation hopes Vietnamese enterprises will invest in small agricultural machine production to supply Tanzania and five Eastern African markets. At present, Tanzania is the second largest importer of Vietnamese broken rice.

In health, in addition to expertise exchange, Vietnam helps Tanzania treat measles, malaria, TB and other diseases. Tanzania is also very interested in traditional medicine cooperation.

In education, Tanzania hopes Vietnam will send teachers of natural subjects to the African nation.

 

In commerce, the two-way trade turnover reached US$68 million in 2009, in which Vietnam spent nearly US$38 million, mainly on cotton and bronze, and earned over US$30 million, mainly from rice.

 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) rated Tanzania one of eight emerging economies in Africa. Its agriculture makes up 40 percent of GDP and 85 percent of exports. However, Tanzania still has to import 100,000 tonnes of rice and 50-100,000 tonnes of maize each year.