Netherlands Investors eyes Zanzibar

Dr.Alli Mohamed Shein

PRESIDENT Ali Mohammed Shein on Thursday  received a business delegation of Dutch investors led by the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Ms Lilianne Ploumen, who
called on him at the Zanzibar State House.

Speaking to the investors also in the presence of the Netherlands Ambassador in Tanzania, Dr Shein said: “Zanzibar is a business friendly country and we welcome investors in various areas like Tourism, construction and natural resources (oil and gas).” He said at the gathering also attended by his advisors and some Zanzibar ministers and executives that Zanzibar has many potential areas of investment and that the coming of the Netherlands delegation was the beginning of prospective future for the Indian Ocean Islands. “We are eagerly waiting to work with you. We hope our cooperation bares fruit sooner than later. My government is committed to promoting investments,” said the president.

According to the Minister of State (international relations) Dr Mwinyihaji Makame Mwadini, the business delegation’s visit follows last November trip to the Kingdom of Netherlands by President Shein, at the invitation of His Majesty King Willem Alexander. The Netherlands investors including SHELL, BAM, Boskalis dredging, Van Oord, and Haskoning briefed the President about their companies, as they expressed much interest to come back and invest in Zanzibar. The President was pleased and told them that Zanzibar is open for investments and that it was, arguably, the biggest  group of investors from Europe to visit the Islands, which currently relies on tourism as leading foreign currency earner.