Mengi appeals to donors to wean Tanzania of aid
 
2006-05-05 08:23:48
By Ludger Kasumuni

	The Netherlands Ambassador to Tanzania, Carel Van Kesteren (left) exchanges views with IPP Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi when the envoy paid a courtesy call at IPP headquarters in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Tanzanians face a major challenge of graduating from being perennial aid recipients to business partners on the global economic spectrum, the Executive Chairman of IPP Group of companies, Reginald Mengi, has said.

Mengi made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday during talks with the Dutch ambassador to Tanzania, Karel van Kesteren, who paid him a courtesy call.

The IPP boss challenged the Dutch government to shift from aid disbursement to enhancing collaboration between citizens of the two countries by supporting the private sector to take the lead in spurring development.

’’A lot of involvement has been in the form of government-to-government. Now we want a shift to government-to-private sector co-operation to strengthen the role the private sector plays in promoting investments and economic development,’’ Mengi said.

He added: ’’We would like investors from the Netherlands to come to our country to establish joint ventures with Tanzanian investors.

We would like people in the Netherlands to perceive Tanzanians as business partners rather than aid recipients.’’

He said Tanzania must not draw economic policies based on donor-prescribed aid conditions because the approach is not ideal for sustainable economic growth.

’’We want to change the perception of people towards aid. In order to turn Tanzania into a partner; we must be active, not passive players.

We want the people of the Netherlands to perceive Tanzanians not as beggars, but business partners,’’ he said.

’’It is sad to go looking for aid always. The Netherlands should shift its policy to Tanzania through partnerships with the private sector. We should explore more areas of common interest,’’ he added.

Mengi, who is also the chairman of Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI), said there is a need to phase out aid dependence gradually by mobilising local investors to engage in joint ventures with foreign partners in agro-processing industries.

In response, the Dutch envoy said he concurred with Mengi, especially on calls to empower Tanzanians economically so they can be active players in global commerce.

Van Kesteren said his government has a programme to modernise horticulture in the southern regions of the country.

He said his government has shifted support from farmers in the northern regions to supporting farmers in southern regions through establishment of joint investment ventures with Dutch farmers who are experienced in the horticulture industry.

The envoy said his government recognises the need for Tanzania to wean itself of aid dependence, which is why his government does not interfere in how aid money is utilised locally.

• SOURCE: Guardian