Diplomatist Special Report - Tanzania Tanzania 2018 | Page 18

up from 32 recorded in 2016 , the highest score in over 10 years . But at the same time , President Magufuli has ensured a certain level of continuity in those pillars that define us as Tanzanians . These include , for instance , an entrenched sense of nationhood that holds together the more than 126 tribes with different beliefs and ensure they define themselves first and foremost as Tanzanians . Equally important , President Magufuli has continued to preserve peace and tranquillity , unity , rule of law , human rights and democratic values , all of which are key to the attainment of the Tanzania Development Vision 2015 .
During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tanzania in 2016 , the two sides agreed to work bilaterally , regionally and globally to combat the twin threats of terrorism and climate change . How is the cooperation between the two countries shaping up on these two fronts ?
On counterterrorism , India continues to partner largely with Tanzania through a number of comprehensive capacity building training involving all sections of the Tanzania Defence Forces , namely , Navy , Land , and Air Forces . Efforts have been geared towards ensuring that information sharing in support of counterterrorism strategies is enhanced through regular bilateral consultations . India continues to support regional counterterrorism efforts , initiatives , and joint working groups that seek to impart the Indian experience and some good practices in fighting terrorism .
The two nations have also partnered in the areas of agriculture and food security through enhanced export of pulses from Tanzania to India . Can you give some details about this engagement and future prospects ?
The agricultural sector in Tanzania is among the sectors that have benefitted immensely from the partnership of the two countries over many years . Apart from the agricultural inputs , markets , and equipment , there has been a constant technical exchange by the relevant institutions as well as technology transfer . For instance , in 2015 , a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the East Africa Statistical Training

Q

On 4 April 2018 , Baraka Haran Luvanda , High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania , presented his credentials to Maithripala Sirisena , President of Sri Lanka
Centre ( EASTC ) based in Tanzania and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research .
It is also true that Tanzania ’ s agricultural products such as cashew nuts , coffee , pulses , cotton , sisal cloves and a variety of other spices have always found a steady and reliable market in India . As regards to the pulses , for many years before 2017 , Tanzania has been exporting to India large quantities of pulses , namely , pigeon peas , chickpeas , black gram , green gram , and lentils . The total exports for the year 2016 alone were 283,809,885 tons . However , following an all-time bumper production of pulses in India in 2016 / 17 ( 22.95 million tonnes ), the government decided in August 2017 to ban the importation of pulses from outside India as well lifting the restrictions on export of Indian pulses to other countries . The decision has had devastating effects on not only Tanzania , but also to many other pulse producing nations around the world as India has been a major importer of pulses all along . The decision had sought to support the local prices due to the said record production in India . Whether this is only a shortterm / temporary measure or not it is a million-dollar question . So I cannot state with certainty what the future prospects are , but I will continue advising my government to look for alternative markets elsewhere as well as looking for other usages of the product through value addition .
Tanzania ’ s President John Magufuli has implemented several reforms in the country after he took office in November 2015 . Can you brief us about the radical transition Tanzania is witnessing in terms of the better functioning of the overall economy ?
I must admit that this is a very valid but broad question . It requires an overall assessment of the reforms brought about by the fifth phase government under H . E Dr . John Pombe Magufuli in his two years in office .
Nevertheless , I will try to summarize the major reforms in the past two years . As correctly pointed out in your question , President John Pombe Magufuli has registered remarkable achievements since he came to power in November 2015 . He started by waging war against corruption by , among other steps , establishing
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