The Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) surpassed its 2013 targets of attracting big investors in the processing and manufacturing activities for export, marking another landmark achievement in efforts to sell the country abroad as a top regional investment destination.
Director General of the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Dr Adelhelm Meru
The EPZA Director General, Dr Adelhelm Meru said the agency had attracted 31 big investments in the processing and manufacturing for export last year beyond the set target of 25 investments.
“With all the challenges that we faced, especially unreliable electricity, we managed to surpass our targets for last year,” he said at a new year party for EPZA staff and stakeholders held in Dar es Salaam.
Dr Meru said EPZA had a target to get US$ 300 million investment capital in 2013, but brought in the country capital investments totalling US$ 498 million up to December last year.
Dr Meru said his authority had planned to create 5,200 new employments last year and end up doubling the target by creating 10,200 new employments through new investments that took place in the authority’s areas. “We have been successful and this gives us hope that a job is done well,” he said.
Explaining further, he said EPZA had earlier targeted to export products worth US$ 100 million last year but surpassed targets as well and exported products worth US$ 105 million.
He said all the successes had been a result of hard work and thanked all the staff for playing their role well. He said EPZA was grateful to the government for much needed support in attracting investors, allocating areas for investments and putting up necessary infrastructure needed by investors.
He noted that EPZA was going to double their efforts in 2014 and ensure that set targets were met and make Tanzania a better place for investors.
EPZA is an investment promotion agency mandated to coordinate and promote the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) regime in Tanzania, a scheme which attracts investors undertaking processing and manufacturing activities for export purposes.
Source Tanzania Daily News
