ZANZIBAR: MINISTER for Labour and Investment Mr Shariff Ali Shariff, has said the increase in investors in Zanzibar has significantly helped reduce unemployment, particularly among youth.
Through projects registered by the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA), 28,695 direct jobs have been created, with many others benefiting indirectly through supply of goods and services.
He said studies are ongoing in collaboration with the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) and the Office of the Chief Government Statistician to determine the full employment impact of domestic and foreign investments.
The minister pledged to monitor production activities in designated industrial zones to ensure they serve their intended purpose.
He further announced that in March this year, a new survey under the Labour Commission will assess jobs created in the past year and align the data with the previous four-year period.
Responding to Ole Representative Seif Hamad Suleiman, he said the Amani area remains designated for production rather than commercial trading activities and promised to provide further feedback.
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Meanwhile, Shariff said Zanzibar is entering a new phase of economic transformation, driven by strategic reforms in investment policy that have attracted major international investors, including developers of seven-star luxury hotels.
He noted that under President Hussein Ali Mwinyi, Zanzibar has recorded 592 investment projects over five years, an average of 119 per year compared to 30 projects annually in previous years.
The projects have attracted 6.9 billion US dollars in capital inflows and generated approximately 300,000 jobs, with 30,000 directly employed.
A seven-star hotel is currently under construction in Makangale, Pemba, which will be the first of its kind in East Africa.
Other major projects include international conference centres in Unguja and Pemba, a mega super mall in Fumba, and expanded industrial parks in Amani, Dunga Zuze, Selem Mfenesini, Kitope and Pangatupu.
Shariff said between 2020 and 2024, 233,655 jobs were created: 157,789 formal and 75,827 informal, and further studies will assess employment growth in the final year of the fiveyear term.
He added that tax incentives remain part of the government’s strategy to attract investors, ultimately boosting national revenue.