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Norwegian Minister, Thabo Mbeki Join Admirers of Magufuli’s Anti-Graft Crusade

By Special Correspondent
THE bold anti-corruption drive and augmented revenue collections being championed by the Fifth Phase Government under President John Magufuli continues to receive accolades worldwide, with the government of Norway being the latest admirer of the reforms.
It is on this backdrop of thrilling improvements that the visiting Norway’s Minister for International Development, Mr Nikolai Astrup, has assured President Magufuli of additional US 56 million dollars (about 128bn/-) to execute projects in various sectors of the economy.
The Norwegian Minister made the commitment during a meeting with President Magufuli at the State House in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday when he paid a courtesy call at the Head of State on the beginning of his four-day official visit in Tanzania.
“Norway expresses its commitment in supporting Tanzania’s blueprint to realize middle-income economy by the year 2025,” the Minister assured Dr Magufuli during their meeting.
It is now apparent that despite pressure from some countries on withholding financial aid on the pretext that the government is suppressing human rights, some level-headed countries are appreciating the efforts by Dr Magufuli to put the house into order.
Norway is among Scandinavian country which has supported an array of development projects covering sectors such as energy, infrastructure and agriculture and strengthening of revenue collection systems at the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
President Magufuli assured the visiting minister that Norway has been a close partner of Tanzania even before the independence, and that such bi-lateral cooperation will continue to flourish.
Tanzania has also benefited from major Norwegian investors namely Equinor, previously Statoil, which is engaged in exploration of natural gas and oil onshore and offshore the Indian Ocean as well as Yara which is among major producer and supplier of fertilizers and farm inputs in Tanzania.
Equinor through partnership with other multinational companies engaged in exploration and production of oil and gas are gearing to set up a Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) plant in Tanzania, one of its kind in the East African region and beyond.
Meanwhile,SOUTH African former President, Mr Thabo Mbeki, who currently chairs the African Union (AU)’s High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, has urged African countries to emulate efforts by the government of Tanzania in foiling illicit financial transactions.  
The distinguished statesman is of a view that concentrated and joint efforts among African countries is paramount in restraining the illegal transactions which have robbed the continent billions of US dollars in shoddy dealings and plundering of the continent’s vast natural resources.
Speaking in a media briefing after a meeting with his host President John Magufuli at the State House in Dar es Salaam Wednesday, Mr Mbeki challenged other African countries to follow the path set by Dr Magufuli’s government in curbing the malpractice.
Mr Mbeki informed President Magufuli yesterday that the panel had obtained essential details on how Tanzania is confronting illicit financial flows through shoddy mining contracts and corruption, which remain an uphill task for other African countries.
“It is of no doubt that the efforts being undertaken in Tanzania ought to be emulated by other countries in Africa. President Magufuli has spoken very well on how African countries are losing trillions through illicit flow," said Mr. Mbeki. 


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