COMMENTS FOR THE PRESS

· Let me once again express my gratitude to you, Mr. President, for honouring us with this important visit.

· We are grateful for your personal commitment to advance relations and cooperation between our two countries and peoples. Your visit confirms this commitment.

· This visit has been very successful. We have accomplished a number of things. One of them is what we have just done: The signing of an agreement on Technical Scientific Economic and Commercial Cooperation in the field of Agriculture.

· This is a very important for us in Tanzania because just as we have resolved to transform our agriculture, we are getting a shot in the arm, indeed an expression of support, from a country that has succeeded in transforming its agriculture.

· We look forward to operationalising this agreement as soon as possible.

· We also have had a very productive wide ranging discussion and we have explored different areas of cooperation. And we have agreed to develop closer economic, cultural and technical cooperation.

· We have also discussed regional and international matters. Turkey is a key player in the global arena. It is a transcontinental country – in Europe and in Asia.

· We have touched on the current global economic situation and international response. Turkey has a particular role to play because it has a big and advanced economy and is a member of G-20. I have asked Mr. President to help amply Africa’s voice in its demand for inclusiveness in forums to debate and decide on the response to the current crisis.

· We have explored economic cooperation, trade and investment.

· And, we are happy the President brought along a big group of Turkish businessmen and women who interacted with their Tanzanian counterparts yesterday in the first Turkey-Tanzania Business Forum. This is very significant because it institutionalizes our trade partnership. We are keen to have this Forum regular.

· With its big economy (with US$365 billion GDP) and successes in the fields of agriculture and technology, Turkey is an important partner for Tanzania and for Africa.

· We are keen to strengthen this partnership. We are happy that the Turkey – Africa Cooperation Summit and the subsequent Istanbul Declaration provides a framework for these relations.

· We have agreed that our relations and cooperation will be much more advanced by people-to-people contacts and relations. So far, we are doing well. There is an increasing number of Turkish community in Tanzania now, doing a commendable job. And increasingly, Tanzanians experts are being trained in Turkey.

· So, Mr. President, we are once again honoured to have you with us here today. We are sad that you are leaving too soon. But we have enjoyed hosting you and your dear wife, and the entire Turkish delegation.

· Please visit with us again.