TZ hosts 60 Japanese construction firms for dialogue

DAR ES SALAAM: THE government is set to host 60 Japanese construction companies today as part of the Tanzania-Japan Quality Infrastructure Dialogue, aimed at advancing collaboration and partnerships between the two nations.

At least 200 local companies from both the public and private sectors are expected to attend the dialogue, which will take place in Dar es Salaam.

Executive Director of the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC), Mr Gilead Teri, told reporters on Tuesday that the historic event presents an opportunity for Tanzania to explore the latest construction technologies from leading Japanese firms.

He noted that Japan is globally renowned for its cutting-edge construction technologies, particularly in developing disaster-resilient transport infrastructure such as roads, airports and ports.

According to Mr Teri, Tanzania can learn from these innovations to accelerate its socio-economic development.

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Mr Teri attributed the dialogue to the success of TIC’s overseas investment promotion campaign, conducted in collaboration with Tanzania’s embassy in Japan in May this year, which highlighted the country’s economic opportunities.

Furthermore, he stated that Tanzania’s economic diplomacy, championed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, influenced the decision of the 60 Japanese construction companies to include Tanzania in their weeklong itinerary for exploring construction opportunities in Africa.

“This is a unique opportunity for Tanzanian companies to engage with their Japanese counterparts and develop projects in infrastructure and related industries,” he said.

Mr Teri urged local companies and Tanzanians at large to attend the high-level dialogue, emphasising that it provides a platform for networking and building relationships with key players in the Asian construction sector.

For his part, Tanzania’s Ambassador to Japan, Mr Baraka Luvanda, mentioned that the 60 Japanese companies are members of the Japan Africa Infrastructure Development Association (JAIDA), a Tokyo-based organisation dedicated to accelerating infrastructure development in Africa, including Tanzania.

Mr Luvanda noted that the Japanese delegation will remain in Tanzania until October 5, seeking to network, including searching for construction projects to undertake in collaboration with local partners.

He expressed optimism that the dialogue would further boost Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) from Japan to Tanzania.

Additionally, he highlighted that the dialogue offers Tanzania the opportunity to acquire resilient construction technologies from Japan, a country that has a long history of adapting to natural disasters, including earthquakes.