US ambassador voices optimism about his new role, relations with Tanzania

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The Citizenzen’s Tom Mosoba held a one-on-one interview with the newly posted United States Ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Donald Wright, on bilateral relations between the two countries. The interview, the ambassador’s first with local media since he arrived in the country over a month now, opens up on his priority areas of Health, Business and Youth Empowerment.

Our political system in the US is a slow process. From the time I was actually approached being the Ambassador, until I actually got here, it is all over a year, so the process is slow. Your background has to be checked, and you have to be interviewed by the Senator. In reality, I had opted to be here in April, but Covid-19 slowed my arrival. So I don’t want Tanzanian people to feel that in any way the US government does not value its relationship with Tanzania. We have always considered you as a very stable diplomatic partner country in East Africa. When I had a chance to meet with your Tanzanian political officials, they reiterated how pleased they were to have a full-time US Ambassador to Tanzania. I am US President’s representative in the country and I am authorized to interrupt with the host government as if I am speaking for the President of the US.

And I see this as a great opportunity for collaboration between the Tanzanian government and the US. My perception about the Tanzania young people as I watch them in the streets around this country is, they are hard workers and they are highly motivated, they are thoughtful and they will do anything and that is going to serve the country. Making sure they are empowered to be the engine for the economic growth for the country to move forward is key. We think education is so important and we have been involved in education for the last 60 years in the country. We think every Tanzanian boy and girl should have an opportunity for good public education, not only primary but secondary. We also have a special interest in young girls especially as related to secondary education. We want them to have access to secondary schools and we want them to have means to complete that education and move on if they desire.

US ambassador voices optimism about his new role, relations with Tanzania

What you need to know:

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