TANZANIA DIASPORA INITIATIVE DUE TO BE LAUNCHED SOON

AN initiative promoting investment and homecoming of Tanzanians living in the Diaspora will be launched in Dar es Salaam later this month, an official with the Prime Minister's Office said.

Tanzanians living in the Diaspora are scheduled to meet for the first ever at a conference to be held at the Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam from August 14-15, 2014 under the theme: "Connect, Engage, Inform and Invest."

"This two-day conference seeks to bring together Tanzanians living in the Diaspora and returnees for a business investment forum.

"At the forum stakeholders from various sectors including government, business owners and leaders will converge to discuss challenges they face and opportunities," read the statement.

The participants are going to discuss investment opportunities in priority areas, market penetration, product branding, packaging and international standards for export industry as well as scaling up nutrition.

According to the International Organisation (IOM) there are about three million Tanzanians scattered in various parts of the world. The World Bank Report showed that in 2013, Tanzanians in the Diaspora remitted US$415 million (about 684.7bn/-).

The Initiative to be launched would operate as a one-stop-shop where those in the Diaspora could access information they need at any time.

"The intention is to work with stakeholders with a common goal of creating a contact data bank where we know who to talk to, where they live and what we can do together as Tanzanians," it said.

"We are not only bringing home those with money and ready to invest in the country, but also those with knowledge and ideas which they can share with our local entrepreneurs," the statement added.

Other invitees to the conference include Tanzanian professors teaching in the Diaspora.

"With the inception of the Diaspora Resource Centre, we anticipate to offer services that will include and not limited to information on investment opportunities; tax exemptions assistance and facilitation on acquisition of housing facilities among many others.