TANZANIANS have emerged in key posts to the regional apex body of private sector associations and corporates of the East African Community (EAC) partner states.
At a go, the East African Business Council (EABC) has appointed four Tanzanians to the Executive Committee Meeting that is the EABC Board until the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) with immediate effect.
EABC Board Chairman, Mr Nicholas Nesbitt said in Arusha that in its 79th meeting of the Executive Committee (ECM) / Board held on 21st April and in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association (MEMARTS) nominated the four people.
The nominated leaders are Mr Paul Koyi who is the President of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (TCCIA).
He is a person who has vowed to step up strategic and institutional reforms geared at improving the performance of its members and subsequently contribute to the country’s industrialisation drive.
Mr Koyi represents TCCIA in the Board of Directors of East African Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (EACCIA). His stand is that staying confined to trading just raw material is not making any sense, hence the business communities have to focus on value-addition in the agriculture sector and promoting opportunities in tourism, natural habitat, mines and minerals as well as other important sectors of the economy.
Another nominated Tanzanian is Mr Paul Makanza who is Chairman of the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) and has been Chairman of the Board of Directors at TCC Plc.
He is an experienced director of corporate affairs with a demonstrated history of working in industry and consulting. Mr Makanza is skilled in business planning, corporate finance, entrepreneurship, strategic planning and strategy.
He also has a strong business development professional with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) focused in Corporate Finance from Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands.
Another nominated Tanzanian is Dr Jacqueline Mkindi who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the apex private sector member-based organisation that advocates for the growth and competitiveness of the horticultural industry in Tanzania – TAHA. She has been a driven and committed development manager.
Ms Mkindi has provided strong leadership in shaping and transforming the multi million dollars horticultural industry in Tanzania and has been instrumental in creating and facilitating strategic partnerships with the Government of Tanzania, the private sector and development partners for the industry inclusive growth and development.
Her involvement in various business and trade facilitation processes at the national, regional and international levels has significantly contributed towards the speedy growth of the industry, TAHA and its subsidiaries.
By being on the advisory board of regional and international platforms, Ms Mkindi also supports the work of such instruments like Innovative Agriculture Research Institution (iAGRI) and the German Marshall Fund of the United States Centre of Excellence for Transformational Partnerships.
She has also been in a regional Trade and Policy Training Centre (TRAPCA), an advisor for the Community for Zero Hunger, not to forget national technical platforms advising the GoT on key issues around agriculture transformation in the country Ms Mkindi serves on the Advocacy and Policy Technical Committee of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) Board and she is the Chairperson of the Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT).
She sits on the USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Advisory Board as well as the Agriculture Markets Development Trusts (AMDT) Investment Committee a Multi Donor (Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland) Program that aims at addressing the problems experienced in past agriculture market development interventions.
The fourth Tanzanian in the Board is Mr Ali Suleiman Amour – Chairman of the Zanzibar National Chambers of Commerce (ZNCC), who has committed himself to see economic growth of the island, Tanzania and EAC generally.
EABC is the regional apex body of private sector associations and Corporates from the six East African countries – Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
It was established in 1997 to foster the interests of the private sector in the integration process of the East African Community.
EABC vision is a borderless East Africa for business and investment. The primary mission is to promote sustainable private sector driven growth in the EAC.