Makangale SATELLITE

By Damas Makangale

The Republic of Sudan seeks to benefit more from Tanzania’s mining sector (especially gold), tourism, the development of natural reserves and electric railways after the reopening of bilateral ties.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with this newspaper in Dar es Salaam recently, the Ambassador of Sudan to Tanzania, Dr Mohamed Abdalla Abdelhameed, said the two countries would complete the signing of a memorandum of cooperation as soon as possible.

“There is a need for high level visits between the two countries. The time has also come to complete the steps of establishing a political consultation committee,” he said.

He noted that historical relations that bound together Sudan and Tanzania could be traced to the leadership of the Founding Father of the Nation, President Julius Nyerere, and the most telling evidence was that the Sudanese Embassy in Dar es Salaam was one of the very first embassies to be opened in Dar es Salaam in March 1962, just three months after Tanganyika got its independence.

“Sudanese people proudly recall the historic visit of President Julius Nyerere to Sudan in November 1974 during which a grand reception held for him in Abu Deleig, East of Khartoum, remains one of the largest gatherings in Sudan’s history.”

Dr Abdelhameed reaffirmed Sudan’s commitment and readiness to fully cooperate in elevating bilateral relations to the highest level across political, economic and cultural domains as Tanzania pursued a reformist policy of opening up to the regional and international community with great emphasis on economic diplomacy.

“While upholding the principles of African unity espoused by Mwalimu Nyerere, Tanzania demonstrates readiness to share its successful experiences with African states. This approach resonates with Sudan’s own vision towards Africa, anchored in a comprehensive perspective on cooperation at bilateral, regional, continental and international levels,” he emphasised.

He noted that there were plans and programnes to develop and promote investment and increase trade exchange between the two nations without forgetting the unprecedented development that Tanzania had made in its two major projects. He said Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) made Tanzania increase the capacity of hydropower generation and boast of high-speed electric railways in Africa.

Dr Abdelhameed noted, among other things, that it was a clear sign that the two nations had opened a new chapter of cooperation after the recent re-opening of Tanzania’s Embassy in Khartoum after a period of closure that lasted more than 30 years.

Among other things, the Ambassador said the areas of cooperation between two countries were promising after the cessation of the work of the Joint Economic Committee that had negatively affected trade exchange between the two countries.

“Tanzania, especially, lost one of its largest markets of tea and coffee trade after the withdrawal from COMESA in 2000, as about 80 per cent of Sudanese tea imports came from Tanzania until the end of the 1990s.”

He said as soon as he arrived in Tanzania, he held several meetings with the Tea Board of Tanzania (TBT) to discuss ways to facilitate the export of Tanzanian tea to Sudan,” he explained.

He emphasised that Tanzania and Sudan also had good cooperation and coordination in relation to counter-terrorism and there were promising opportunities for cooperation, taking into account of Tanzania’s potential in teaching Kiswahili language.

Ends

Mteja wa Bank of Africa-Tanzania (BOA),Bw.Dolvin Salvatory Olomi, kutoka Moshi, Mkoa wa Kilimanjaro,amebahatika  kuibuka mshindi wa jumla wa shilingi milioni 5 kupitia kampeni iliyomalizika iitwayo “Miamala ni Fursa.”

Kampeni hiyo, iliyoanza Juni hadi Septemba 2025, iliwezesha zaidi ya washindi 60 nchi nzima kujinyakulia  zawadi, huku wateja wakipata zawadi za kila wiki za Shilingi 50,000 kwa kutumia huduma za kidigitali zinazotolewa na Benki. Kampeni ilifikia kilele kwa droo kubwa ya mwisho, ambayo ilitoa zawadi kubwa  ya Shilingi 5 milioni kwa mtumiaji bora wa huduma ya kidijitali—aliyetangazwa rasmi kuwa mshindi mkuu kupitia droo ya bahati nasibu hiyo.

"Kushinda Shilingi milioni 5  kwa kutumia  huduma ya benki kwa njia ya simu kumebadilisha maisha yangu," alisema Bw Olomi, ambaye alitoa shukurani zake za dhati kwa Bank of Africa-Tanzania,  kwa kukuza ushirikishwaji wa kifedha kupitia kampeni za kibunifu na zenye kuleta manufaa kwa wateja wake.

Kampeni ya “Miamala ni Fursa” ilizinduliwa Juni 4, 2025, na ilianzishwa ili kuhimiza utumiaji wa huduma za benki kidijitali kwa kufanya miamala ya kila siku, ikijumuisha uhamishaji wa fedha kutoka benki  kwa matumizi mbalimbali, kufanya malipo ya ankra,kununua   muda wa maongezi au umeme. Kampeni hii ni sehemu ya dhamira pana ya benki ya kuunga mkono  ajenda ya Serikali ya Tanzania ya  matumizi ya huduma za kidijitali na kuongeza wigo wa upatikanaji wa huduma za fedha kwa wote.

Ofisa Mkuu wa Huduma za Kidijitali wa Bank Of Africa-Tanzania ,Lameck Mushi alisema: "Mafanikio ya kampeni ni ishara tosha kwamba Watanzania wako tayari kutumia huduma za kibenki za kidijitali ambazo ni rahisi, zinaweza kufikiwa na ni zenye manufaa. Kupunguza ada ya uhamisho kutoka benki kwa matumizi mbalimbali kwa zaidi ya asilimia 50% na kufanikisha kuongeza matumizi ya huduma za kifedha kwa njia ya simu kufanya miamala, na msisimko wa kushinda zawadi uliongeza zaidi."

Bw Mushi aliongeza: "Iwe unaishi maeneo ya mjini au vijijini, matumizi ya huduma za Kibenki kwa njia ya simu yalimpatia kila mmoja fursa ya   kushinda. Kampeni hii ni uthibitisho kwamba huduma ya benki ya kidijitali inaweza kuwa ya kila mtu."

Benki pia ilihamasisha  wafanyakazi wake  katika matawi mbalimbali nchini  kuelimisha wateja, watumiaji wapya, na kutoa msaada wa kiufundi muda wote wa kampeni.

Naye Mkuu wa Kitengo cha Masoko na Mawasiliano , Nandi Mwiyombella alisema kampeni ya "Miamala ni Fursa” ilikuwa zaidi ya kujitangaza. “Tumewawezesha wateja si tu kwa zawadi za pesa taslimu, lakini pia kuwahakikishia pia wateja wetu kuwa huduma zetu za kidijitali ni zenye uhakika na wanaweza kuzitumia bila wasi”.

 Bank of Africa Tanzania inawashukuru washiriki wote na inampongeza mshindi   wa jumla wa zawadi kutoka Moshi, pamoja na washindi wengine wa kila wiki waliozawadiwa  kwa matumizi ya huduma za kidigitali zinazotolewa na benki.

Wakati benki inao mkakati wa kuleta kampeni za kunufaisha wateja siku za mbele,itaendeleza  dhamira yake kuongeza ujumuishaji wananchi katika sekta rasmi za kifedha na kuwezesha wananchi kunufaika na mapinduzi ya teknolojia na ya kidigitali.