Business

Local entrepreneurs set for Mexico exhibition

THE Tanzanian business community is getting a rare opportunity to penetrate the Mexican market where they will participate in the first ever Africa Week in Mexico City.

Speaking at a press conference in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Executive Director, Mr Daniel Machemba, said that the opportunity will also favour consumers by providing them with variety of goods and services. The Africa Week is scheduled from October 15 – 19, 2012.

“Allow me to take this opportunity to invite the Tanzanian business community to participate in the Africa Week in Mexico and explore the opportunities there,” he said. Mr Machemba said that much as it was the first time for a delegation comprising of business people to go there, it wasn’t the first delegation because there have been some for the Cancun meetings and the 1996 World Cup.

He said however that the event gives Tanzanians the opportunity to see another side of the country particularly in the progress that Mexico was making in its vehicle industry, agro-processing, tourism and technology. “The opportunity for trading between the two countries is now coming up because for starters, Tanzania is part of the global village and we are expanding our markets and looking to diversify them, the Mexican market fits our requirement,” he said.

Mr Machemba explained that over the past seven years, there has been change of trend where Eastern markets like China and India are more favoured than European markets. The Mexico Honorary Consul, Mr Reza Saboor, said that the aim of the Africa Week was to strengthen relations with countries through fostering cooperation, trade promotions and mutual understanding and culture activities.

Mr Saboor said that it was a comprehensive set of events that included culture, cooperation, business and intellectual reflections regarding Mexico and Africa. “The occasion is a great opportunity to approach Mexican government, business people and society to their counterparts in Africa and normally attracts the interest and the visit of governmental officials, business people and artists from Mexico and African countries,” he said.

He announced that one company from Mererani mining area had already made a breakthrough into the Mexican market where it had established branches along the coastal regions of the country tapping cruise ships that come from Europe. Mr Saboor said that investing in Mexico was a wise move because their products, which are traded in the United States of America, have the advantage of having FD approval meaning their quality is well recognized.

Currently the top five countries that Tanzania trades with are India, China, South Africa, Kenya and Switzerland, the former managing to stay on top amongst European countries because of rare minerals.