Press Release
U.S. Embassy with U.S. Affiliated Companies in Tanzania to participate the 32nd DITF (Saba Saba)
June 30, 2008
Seventeen U.S. affiliated companies operating in Tanzania will join the U.S. Mission in Dar es Salaam at this year’s Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (32nd Saba Saba) from June 27 through. July 8, 2008 at the Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere Trade Fair Grounds in Dar es Salaam. Ambassador Mark Green cut the ribbon on the USA Pavilion on June 27, saying, “The American Embassy is honored to join with the Board of External Trade to work together to show and offer to the people of Tanzania fine examples of the goods, products and services produced in the U.S.”
During his remarks, the U.S. Envoy cited the African Growth and Opportunity Act, called AGOA for short, as a success story in the increasing two way trade between the U.S. and Tanzania. AGOA allows over six thousand different products to enter the U.S. DUTY FREE from eligible African countries.
The U.S. Ambassador reported that in 2006, 3.69 million U.S. dollars in Tanzanian goods entered the U.S. under AGOA. In 2007, there was a 22 percent increase of Tanzanian goods entering the U.S. under AGOA – up to USD 4.52 million worth.
The U.S. envoy continued, “the bond between our two nations is deepening economically, as it is in many other areas. And this “Buy USA’ trade exhibit I am opening today is just one more sign of that productive growth.”
According to a statement from the U.S. Embassy, 17 U.S. affiliated private sector companies will come together in the official USA Trade Pavilion to feature U.S. market opportunities and benefits offered under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The trade show will promote U.S. goods, franchising opportunities, agribusiness, pursuing higher education in the U.S. and other services. The theme for this year at the DITF is “Building Global Business Partnerships”
The statement said the Embassy’s Commercial Section among other things acts as a link between the U.S. and the Tanzania business communities and provides contact information for major importers, exporters, manufacturers and service providers of both countries as well as facilitating co-operation with other U.S. Government agencies that assist trade, including the Ex-IM Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Trade and Development Agency.
Among the participants in the USA pavilion are number of companies supported by USAID/Tanza¬nia’s Economic Growth Office, which works to raise rural incomes by increas¬ing the production and sale of cash crops with the focus on small, rural farmers. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) works in Tanzania to improve the quality of life for the country’s citizens.
The USA Trade Pavilion 2008 will also present U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); Consular Section and Public Affairs’ Education Advising and the Information Resource Center sections; FedEx Express (Tanzania Express Cargo Ltd); Putumayo World Music Distribution (Jamani Investments Ltd); MicroFinance and Small Loans (FINCA Tanzania Ltd); a range of consumer products from Colgate and Palmolive, TANZANIA LTD; Agribusiness (ENTERPRISEWORKS VITA); Kili-Coffee and the Entrepreneurship Development Program; “Believe Begin Become” Tanzania’s National Business Plan Competition (Techno Serve Tanzania); Human powered Money Maker Pumps for irrigation (KICKSTART); U.S. Commercial Services, Foreign Agricultural Services, U.S. Franchising and Investment Opportunities; American Business Association, U.S. market access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and educational advising for higher education studies and fellowships in the United States,.
The United States has participated in this international fair for the last five consecutive years. The Board of External Trade (BET) has confirmed that this year’s trade fair will bring together a record high number of foreign countries representations.