Tanzania to buy Sri Lankan fishing boats

Sri Lanka and Tanzania opened a new chapter in business and investment promotion between the two countries with the launch of the Sri Lanka-Tanzania Investment Chamber in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania last week.

The business chamber was launched by the Chief Guest Minister of Tourism Development, Christian Religious Affairs and Lands, John Amaratunga.

Minister Amaratunga said that the business and investment chamber was being launched at the right time.

The inaugural meeting of the Sri Lanka Tanzania Business Chamber was attended by key government officials including Tanzanian Ministers of Tourism, Investment Promotion, Agriculture and Education. A Sri Lankan businessman in Tanzania, Lal Silva was appointed as the Chairman of the Chamber. As the first business venture of the Sri Lanka-Tanzania Investment Chamber, fiberglass fishing boats manufactured in Sri Lanka by Danusha Marine will be made available to the Tanzanian fishing community which still predominantly uses boats made out of wood.

He said he was happy that the Sri Lanka-Tanzania Business Chamber was working closely with the Tanzania Investment Chamber which comes under the Ministry of Trade and Investments in Tanzania. "I invite members of the Tanzanian business community to look at ways and means of connecting with our tourism industry.

Tanzania also attracted the highest FDI in the East African region amounting to over 2.1 billion dollars in 2015.

Following the inauguration of the chamber, Minister Amaratunga held discussions with Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania, Prof. Jumanne Maghembe and other top officials.

The Tanzanian Minister said as a follow up to the meeting a forum will be organized focusing on the areas of tourism, fisheries, agriculture, minerals and mines, and health with the active participation of the new chamber. Minister Amaratunga along with Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania, Prof. Jumanne Maghembe presided at a ceremony to hand over the first Sri Lankan made boat to the Tanzanian fishing community at the Msasani fishing village.

Tanzanian Minister Jumanne Maghembe said his government will place an order for 500 of the boats as an initial step.

The following day, Minister Amaratunga presided at a ceremony to officially declare open a new residential building for Buddhist monks in the city of Dar es Salaam.

The modern building was built by a Sri Lankan businessman in Tanzania, Thangavelu Nallavan.