Response to Interview Questions

1. Can you explain the performances of EPZA during the financial year 2021/2022?

EPZA performance during the 2021/22 financial year has continued to demonstrate recovery from the COVID pandemic that had negatively impacted the investment climate globally. A total of 25 new investments valued at $ 75 Million were registered during the year, up from 17 investments registered during the previous year. These investments will generate 4,883 new jobs, earn $118 million in export earnings and enable value addition among others. The deliberate efforts by the 6 th phase Government under the leadership of her Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan to improve the investment climate and to market the country as an investment and Tourism destination is another key attributing factor to the growing number of investments in SEZ/EPZ. Benjamin Mkapa Special Economic Zone remained to be the only fully operational Special Economic Zone. The 62 acres facility to developed and launched in 2010 has registered great economic benefits according to the evaluation of important indicators including the number of jobs created, capital invested, and exports. The actual situation of investments in the Sspecial Eeconomic Zzone (Benjamin Mkapa SEZ) is Capital investments to the tune of $ 29.15m, 4,761 jobs, and annual exports valued at $ 70m.

Other designated SEZs are mostly in the land acquisition stage. They include Bagamoyo SEZ, Tanga SEZ, Manyoni SEZ, Ruvuma SEZ and Nala SEZ. The main source of funds for the development activities of the Authority is the Government’s subvention which then tends to confine the performance in terms of SEZ development to the limited resource envelope and budget ceilings. Specific details on the planned priorities and achievements during the years are discussed below.

Therefore, to have more SEZs like the BWM SEZ in the Country and to reap the associated benefits, collective efforts from both the public and private sectors to invest in SEZ development is required to complement the Government’s efforts and speed up SEZ development initiatives and reap the associated social economic benefits.