China ready to drop all tariffs on African imports

By Lake Zone Watch writer

Ikorongo and Grumeti Game Reserves will be some of the Special Wildlife Investment Concession Areas (SWICA) earmarked to benefit from 696bn/- (278 million US dollars) ambitious project to develop tourism infrastructure in six investment areas in the country.

Located in Mara region, both game reserves form integral part of the Serengeti ecosystem and the passageway for the annual migration of thousands of wildebeests.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism through the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) yesterday signed the six agreements at the Utalii College in Dar es Salaam to kick-start the huge SWICA investment programme.

Apart from the Ikorongo – Grumeti Game Reserves, the project is also planned to cover such game reserves as Mkungunero in Dodoma, Maswa Kimali, Maswa Mbono and Maswa North in Simiyu region.

Speaking after the signing ceremony of the agreements, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Angellah Kairuki, said investment in the selected game reserves would tremendously increase the flow of tourists from 1.5 million in 2021/2022 to the envisaged target of five million in 2025/2026.

“This investment will earn the country an estimated 314 US dollars in the next 20 years, an equivalent of 16 million US dollars per annum (49 bn/-). These achievements are to a greater extent the result of the President Samia’s Royal Tour Film,” the minister said.

She said some of the notable benefits of the scheme include the strengthening of conservation and research and the improvement of the lives of nearby communities surrounding the earmarked investment areas.

According to the minister, a total of 125bn/- (50 million US dollars) has been set aside to finance community-based development projects in the next 20 years of investment.

The minister thanked Grumeti Reserves Ltd, Bushman Safari Trackers Ltd, Mwiba Holdings Ltd and Magellan General Holdings LLC for signing the investment agreements.

Conservation stakeholders say the protection of the Ikorongo-Grumeti games reserves amounts to a matter of life and death because of their critical importance to Serengeti ecosystem.