Tanzanian VP calls for domestic value addition in minerals

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) — Tanzanian Vice President Philip Mpango on Monday called for domestic value addition to the country’s minerals.
“We should not only extract and export raw minerals but also add value domestically,” Mpango said when attending the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) in Tanzania’s port city of Dar es Salaam.
“With all the mineral endowments that our country has, we need to raise the level of mining profitability through better management of mineral wealth, especially strategic and rare earth elements,” said Mpango.
The vice president also urged research institutions to identify economic growth niches and strategies to harness mining sector opportunities, which can be exploited to propel Tanzania to an upper-income country status by 2050.
Established in 1992 and effectively starting its operations in 1994, the ESRF is an independent think tank in Tanzania undertaking policy research to support the country’s economic management process. ■