{{ US Envoy to Tanzania Alfonso Lenhardt yesterday outlined key areas of focus in President Barack Obama’s visit to Tanzania next month, saying the US wasn’t nervous over China’s increasing presence in the country.}}
The visit by Mr Obama, the first black US President with direct links to Africa, will focus on investments, economic growth, strengthening of democratic institutions and nurturing young leadership, Mr Lenhardt said during a media roundtable meeting in the city.
He said Mr Obama chose to visit Tanzania and not other countries in the region because it is a beacon of peace on the continent, an important investment destination and a global champion in the fight against poverty.
“The visit by President Obama is precisely to support Tanzania in its development endeavours and to deepen the bilateral cooperation between the great countries,” Mr Lenhardt said.
He said the US was supportive of China’s relations with Tanzania if the purpose was legitimate and the focus was the country’s development. “We are supportive of China’s relations with Tanzania provided the purpose is legitimate. China does not pose a problem one way or the other, but the issue should be how we help Tanzania become a medium income country.”
Tanzania will be the last stop of Mr Obama’s three-nation tour of Africa from June 26 to July 1. President Obama, who will also visit Senegal and South Africa, will be accompanied by his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha.
Mr Lenhardt said the itinerary and exact agenda of Mr Obama’s visit was not yet unclear, but added that he would meet stakeholders from the private and public sectors as well as youth representatives.
“We do not yet know exactly which specific agenda the President has in those focus areas, but the general purpose of the visit is to reinforce the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.”
Taking stock of US-funded aid programmes in Tanzania, the ambassador noted that his government supported projects worth about $750 million (Sh 1.2 trillion) million last year, making it one of the country’s biggest development partners. He said through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other nine agencies, the US had invested in various sectors that touched on the wellbeing of the majority Tanzanians by improving their health, food security and democracy and leadership.
Mr Lenhardt said the funds given were a sign of American people wanting to reach out to Tanzanians and improve their lives, adding that there was no hidden agenda.
The Citizen
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