TANZANIA DFIS TO HOST SADC HIGH LEVEL CONFERENCE OF SADC DFIS ON INDUSTRIALISATION

TADB’s Acting Managing Director, Mr. Francis Assenga (left) and Chief Executive Officer for Southern African Development Community – Development Finance Resource Center (SADC- DFRC), Mr. Stuart Kufeni (right) prior the Press Conference that held at Double Tree Hotel, in Dar es Salaam.

Chief Executive Officer for Southern African Development Community – Development Finance Resource Center (SADC- DFRC), Mr. Stuart Kufeni (second left) talking before the reporters (not in picture) on the coming High Level Conference Of SADC DFIs on Industrialization that will be held on July 06, 2017 at JNICC in Dar es Salaam.

Chief Executive Officer for Southern African Development Community – Development Finance Resource Center (SADC- DFRC), Mr. Stuart Kufeni (left) elaborates theme of the coming High Level Conference of SADC DFIs on Industrialization. Others in photo are TIB Development Managing Director, Charles Singili (centre) and NDC Acting Managing Director, Eng. Ramson Mwilangali (right).

TADB’s Acting Managing Director, Mr. Francis Assenga (left) explains the overriding objective of the Conference. Right is Chief Executive Officer for Southern African Development Community – Development Finance Resource Center (SADC- DFRC), Mr. Stuart Kufeni.

Co-coordinator of the Conference, TIB’s Managing Director, Mr. Charles Singili (centre) asserts on the role of DFIs during Press Conference on the coming High Level Conference of SADC DFIs on Industrialization that will be held on July 06, 2017 at JNICC in Dar es Salaam. Accompanying him are Chief Executive Officer for Southern African Development Community – Development Finance Resource Center (SADC- DFRC), Mr. Stuart Kufeni (left) and and NDC’s Acting Managing Director, Eng. Ramson Mwilangali (right).

Members of the press and other distinguished guests follow the press conference.

By Our Reporter

The Tanzanian development finance institutions (DFIs) – TIB Development Bank, National Development Corporation and Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank – is expected to host the bi-annual meetings of the SADC DFI Network from 6th – 7th July 2017 in Dar es Salaam.

The meetings will commence with a Forum for Chief Executive Officers at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre on 6th, followed by the Network meeting on 7th at the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton.

These meetings are organised in collaboration with the SADC Development Finance Resource Centre (DFRC).

Speaking on the Forum theme, the Chief Executive Officer of SADC DFRC, Mr. Stuart Kufeni said that the theme of the conference will be “Towards Industrialisation for Sustainable and Inclusive Development – Role of DFIs in SADC”.

Mr. Kufeni said that this is in recognition of the prioritisation of industrialisation by SADC Heads of State as a key element towards the achievement of sustainable economic growth and development in the SADC region and enhancing the welfare of its peoples.

“The successful implementation of the SADC Regional Industrialisation Strategy and Road Map will require massive investments across various industrial sectors. In this regard, financial institutions, and more specifically, DFIs, in tandem with the private sector, will play a critical role in mobilising the requisite financial resources,” Mr. Kufeni said.

On his part, co-coordinator of the conference, Mr. Charles Singili, TIB’s Managing Director said that the forum will explore the role and experiences of national DFIs in supporting industrial development, inclusive of the small and medium enterprises sector (SMEs), and the successes and challenges that they have encountered.

“Given the adoption, both at regional and national levels, of industrialisation as an economic growth enabler, it is imperative that DFIs play their mandated role, namely the mobilising of financial resources and targeting these at key growth sectors to ensure the achievement of national and regional development goals under the revised SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2015 – 2020),” Mr. Singili said.

TADB’s Acting Managing Director, Francis Assenga added that the overriding objective of this Forum is for DFIs in the region to share experiences and information and effectively position themselves as critical agents in the industrialisation drive in the region in partnership with the private sector and other development finance stakeholders, including international financial institutions and cooperating partners.

Adding that presenters of the Forum include renowned experts on industrial development from multilateral organisations and the SADC region will be available to share their experience.

“Besides the chief executives of DFIs, senior officials from governments, executives of financial institutions and other development finance stakeholders are expected to attend,” he added.

The Guest of Honour is expected to be His Excellency Dr. John Pombe Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania will officially open the meetings who will be presented by Her Excellency Madam Samia Suluhu Hassan.

The SADC DFRC is a subsidiary institution of SADC and is owned by the SADC-DFI Network. It was established in 2003 as a secretariat of the DFI Network mandated to undertake capacity building, policy research and advocacy in the development finance space. The membership of the DFI Network currently stands at 37 national DFIs from across the SADC region.