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Tanzania, Kenya agree on wider areas of cooperation

Posted: Tuesday September 30, 2008 1:55 PM BT

By Patrick Kisembo

Tanzania and Kenya have agreed to co-operate on a number of areas ranging from horticulture related activities to tourism, fisheries, natural gas and ports utilisation. This was disclosed by the Tanzania Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Seif Idd, at the end of a three-day official tour in the country by the Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga on Friday.

Reading a joint communique, Deputy Minister Seif Idd said the two governments would also co-operate in the development of Dar es Salaam and Mombassa ports.

Idd said Odinga and his Tanzanian counterpart, Mizengo Pinda urged respective ministries and institutions responsible for the mentioned sectors to explore modalities of exchange of information, sharing of knowledge, expertise and experience.

"The two leaders have also urged authorities of the bordering regions to convene frequent good neighbourliness meetings to discuss and find ways of increasing co-operation and harmonious relations among the people of the two sides," said Idd.

With regard to other economic co-operation, the deputy minister said the two premiers expressed their satisfaction on existing bilateral economic relations amid plenty of opportunities for further co-operation in the areas of trade and investments.

During their discussions the two premiers also touched on the crisis in Darfur, Somalia, the situation in the Great Lakes Region and Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, the government of Kenya has expressed its willingness to buy gas from Tanzania to reduce spiral impact of petroleum price rise that has hit the East African economic powerhouse.

Premier Odinga also showed special interest on energy sharing in the East African region when responding to press questions during his official tour.

He said Kenyans were in difficult times after the price of petroleum rose and it had not gone down.

"The fuel price in Kenya is so high, and we have been forced to hike price for electricity (steamer) which is making Kenyans suffer a lot," he said.

Odinga said however that by purchasing gas from Tanzania, things would be made cheaper in terms of energy than is currently the case due to the high price of petroleum in the world market.

Also his counterpart, Mizengo Pinda said Tanzania needed cooperation with Kenya on matters of energy.

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