DAR ES SALAAM, March 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. government
announced plans on Thursday to boost exports to Tanzania, where
Vice President Kamala Harris was on a visit as part of a
diplomatic drive by Washington to strengthen ties with a
continent where China and Russia increasingly hold sway.
Harris began her African tour on Sunday in Ghana before
flying late on Wednesday to Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es
Salaam, where she is due to hold talks with President Samia
Suluhu Hassan later on Thursday.
Her office announced plans to improve trade and other
aspects of bilateral relations, including a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) between the Export-Import Bank of the United
States (EXIM) and the government of Tanzania.
This will facilitate up to $500 million in U.S. export
financing to Tanzania to support exports of goods and services
in sectors including infrastructure, transportation, digital
technology, climate and energy security and power generation.
Harris's office also highlighted U.S. support for a plan by
LifeZone Metals to open a new processing plant in Tanzania.
The facility will use low-emission technology to process
nickel and other minerals mined in the East African country,
with a view to start delivering battery grade nickel to the
United States from 2026, Harris's office said.
She is due to stay in Tanzania until Friday, when she will
depart for Zambia, the final stop on her tour.
Her visit to Dar es Salaam marks a return to international
engagement by Tanzania under President Hassan, after a period of
isolationism under her predecessor John Magufuli, who cancelled
all his ministers' foreign trips and discouraged travel.
Hassan has won praise internationally for restoring
political rights suspended by Magufuli, who died in office in
2021.
He had banned political rallies by anyone other than elected
officials, cracked down on Tanzania's LGBT community and
arrested scores of opposition supporters.
He had also rejected COVID-19 vaccines and urged Tanzanians
to put faith in prayer and remedies such as steam inhalation.
Hassan reversed the policies upon coming to power with a
COVID-19 vaccination drive and earlier this month, Tanzania
passed the milestone of fully vaccinating 50% of its population.
But human rights groups say violations continue, including
government targeting of online media outlets. Hassan's education
minister also banned a series of children's books from schools
last month for allegedly promoting homosexuality.
(Reporting by Nuzulack Dausen in Dar es Salaam and Aaron Ross
in Nairobi; Writing by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Alexander
Smith)
