He made these remarks in Dar es Salaam while inaugurating a conference to discuss the role of public-private partnerships (PPP), organized by the Public-Private Partnership Centre.
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| Professor kitila Mkumbo |
" The government is continuing to create a conducive environment for the private sector to fully engage in development activities." he added.
Tanzania has set ambitious economic growth targets for the next 25 years through the National Development Vision 2050, which aims to expand the economy to exceed one trillion US dollars.
"To achieve these goals, we require systemic changes and significant participation from the private sector, as the government cannot handle all economic activities alone," Professor Kitila said
"The government's role is to establish policies, laws, and overall economic management, while many economic activities should be carried out by the private sector to enhance efficiency and accelerate development."
Tanzania has outlined several objectives, including strengthening economic resilience, improving transportation infrastructure, and increasing productivity in the production sectors.The plan requires approximately 477 trillion shillings for its implementation, with over 70% of the funding expected to come from the private sector through investments and various partnership frameworks.
Professor Mkumbo noted that Tanzania has already begun implementing several projects through the PPP model across various sectors, including transportation, infrastructure, and business services, with others at different stages of preparation.
However, Professor Kitila has acknowledged that the pace of implementing PPP projects remains slow compared to the number of planned projects, prompting the government to continue enhancing legal and operational frameworks to boost efficiency.
He said that the government is also working to strengthen the business and investment environment while encouraging public institutions to adopt the PPP model where projects can be executed more effectively alongside the private sector.
Professor Mkumbo concluded by stating that the conference serves as a vital platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas and provide advice to the government on the best ways to leverage public-private partnerships to accelerate economic and social development in the country.
Also, the Executive Director of the Public-Private Partnership Centre, David Kafulila, mentioned that the primary role of the institution is to " coordinate collaboration" between the government and the private sector to ensure that development projects feasible for the private sector are executed efficiently, thereby assisting the government in alleviating its financial burden.
Kafulila noted that the conference marks the beginning of ongoing discussions that will take place monthly, aimed at bringing together various stakeholders, including scholars, economic experts, the private sector, and government institutions, to discuss economic development issues and the implementation of partnership projects. These discussions will help provide ideas and advice to the government on the best ways to utilize public-private partnerships, while also offering stakeholders the opportunity to ask questions, make suggestions, and participate in building a robust national economy.