The Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC), in collaboration with the Finnish Embassy in Tanzania, has announced a plan to support local entrepreneurs through links with their Finnish counterparts.
The plan was revealed by TIC’s Director of Finance and Administration, Beatrice Chonjo at a seminar organised by TIC and the embassy under the Finnish Business Partnership Programme which supports projects in developing countries in Dar es Salaam at the weekend.
According to Chonjo, the programme is very important because Tanzanian businesses which are not strong enough would be enabled to get exposure from their Finnish counterparts.
“Tanzanian businesses wishing to have connection with their Finnish counterparts should have a company status, send an application and reveal what they are doing,” she said, adding that the initiative is one of TIC’s efforts to strengthen businesses in the country.
The seminar attracted over 50 Tanzanian entrepreneurs, programme officials, TIC management and officials from the embassy.
Financed by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and managed by Development Finance Institution, Finnfund, the programme aims at promoting business cooperation between companies in Finland and those in developing countries in a move to create long-term business partnerships.
It also seeks to offer support for developing countries’ projects by offering matchmaking service for Tanzanian firms for the identification of Finnish business partners - business partnership support (financial grant) - for Finnish companies and organisations for their projects in Tanzania and advice and guidance.
The Finn partnership Director of Planning, Siv Ahlberg said there are already companies in Finland that have shown interest to work with their counterparts in Tanzania but were lacking relevant information.
She said that they are ready to send information regarding Tanzanian companies to Finland once they get them urging players in Tanzania to utilise the opportunity.
One of the participants, Dr Hamimu Hongo hailed TIC for making efforts to connect Tanzanian entrepreneurs to their Finnish counterparts.
“Entrepreneurs have vital role in economic building,” he said.
Kimmo Laukkanen, the Head of Cooperation at the Finnish Embassy in Tanzania said the relationship between his country and Tanzania is a historic one and that it was now time to venture into business relationship for the benefits of both countries.
Statistics shows that Tanzania is fifth biggest African exporter to Finland, excluding North Africa. In 2010 she was seventh.
From: The Guardian (Tanzania)
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