Private sector activists of Iran and Tanzania, in a webinar on Wednesday, explored ways for enhancement of trade between the two countries.
The webinar of the chambers of commerce of Iran and Tanzania was participated by the Iranian Charge d’affaires to Tanzania Hossein Alvandi, President of Tanzania Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Paul Koyi, Director of Arab-African Department of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Shahram Khassipour and Vice-Chairman of Iran-East Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce Masoud Barhaman.
During the webinar, both sides underlined the need for the removal of banking and transportation obstacles on the way of bilateral trade, urging the necessity for implementing the customs agreements.
The Iranian Charge d’affaires in Tanzania addressed the webinar and said that there are good potentials for trade and investment cooperation between Iranian and Tanzanian economic activists.
Referring to the Tanzania’s membership in the East African Community (EAC), Alvandi said that that the country provides Iran with access to East African markets.
Tanzania feels no limits for trade with Iran and has never sanctioned Iran, he said, while adding that the country’s banking system is mainly foreign-designed and is owned by the private sector and therefore the Tanzanian government says it cannot intervene in the issue.
“We have proposed a barter trade mechanism but unfortunately we have not been able to find a solution to the problem yet,” Alvandi said.
Tanzania has rich copper and iron ore mines but lacks the necessary money and technology to excavate them, he said.
There is also the possibility of dairy production in the country and its exports to other world countries, he added.
President of Tanzania Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in the meantime hailed Iran’s high technology and significance in the region.
Koyi said that his country’s chamber of commerce is keen to give a boost to relations between the private sectors of the two countries.
He noted that the energy, petrochemical, mining and agricultural areas are the main areas of cooperation between the economic activists of Iran and Tanzania, and called for further presence of Iranian companies in Tanzanian economic projects.