President Benjamin Mkapa meets Citigroup President Steven Long (right) and Citibank Executive Chairman for Europe, Africa and the Middle East William Mills at State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday. (Photo: Tryphone Mweji)
Citigroup International President Steven Long yesterday hailed Tanzania for its economic achievements over the past ten years.
Long said when he paid President Benjamin Mkapa a courtesy call at State House in Dar es Salaam that the conducive environment for investment was one of the reasons that prompted the group to invest in the country.
He was accompanied to State House by Citibank Executive Chairman for Europe, Africa and the Middle-East William Mills.
Long’s visit to Tanzania coincides with the tenth anniversary of Citibank services in the country. He is also scheduled to meet Citibank customers.
Long also said Citibank was grateful for the co-operation it was getting in the country.
“The co-operation that Citibank gets from leaders at different levels is what enables us to continue doing business in Tanzania,” he said.
President Mkapa said Citibank’s decision to invest in Tanzania showed that the group had confidence in the country’s economic reforms.
He asked the bank and other financial institutions to explore the possibility of building inexpensive houses which could be sold on credit to Tanzanians, especially those in the low income bracket.
This would reduce the burden on people wishing to possess their own homes in addition to doing away with unplanned expansion of cities and towns, President Mkapa said.
He also urged financial institutions to invest in agriculture, saying Tanzania had plenty of arable land which was more than enough for its people as well as big investors.
President Mkapa also held talks yesterday with the Norwegian Minister of Development, Hilde Johnson.
Johnson is also scheduled to meet Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume and the secretaries-general of CCM and CUF, Philip Mangula and Seif Hamad, respectively.
