More investment opportunities for Msian companies - Najib

DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania): Algeria has offered Petronas to make a bid to team up with oil exploring firms in the country while Malaysian corporation are in negotiations with the Tanzanian authorities to build highways and specialist hospitals.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak said UEM Group Bhd was seeking to build a tolled highway that would connect the city with surrounding regions.

“The Dar es Salaam port is a strategic outlet for nations such as Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia. The current roads are congested and so the new highway is very important,” the prime minister said.

Malaysia may also get involved in the healthcare sector in Tanzania.

Limkokwing U offers 10 scholarships to African nations - Najib

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA: Limkokwing University of Creative Technology is offering 10 full scholarships to African nations participating in the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue to help them build their human capital and technological capacity.

This was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at a dinner held in conjunction with the dialogue on Saturday night.

The university has established a presence in Africa. It has campuses in Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland, and is proposing to build one in Tanzania.

Najib told Malaysian newsmen yesterday the land for the project had already been identified and that construction would start soon.

(Source: www.nst.com.my)

Set up partnerships with African nations, M’sians urged

MALAYSIA has opened the doors for its businessmen to venture into Africa by having smart partnerships with countries in the continent, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Entrepreneurs, he said, should study the niche opportunities available in the region and develop win-win ties with African companies.

There were opportunities in education, palm oil, tourism and several other areas, he added.

“The networking we have set up here has made Malaysia a popular nation in the African continent, compared to other countries,” Najib said, adding that this gave Malaysian business entities a headstart.

Najib was speaking to Malaysian reporters after taking part in a dialogue themed “Leveraging Technology for Smart Growth in Socio-Economic Transformation” during the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre here yesterday. As the prime mover of this smart partnership dialogue, first launched in Langkawi in 1995, Najib said Malaysia was committed to sharing its experiences and weaknesses.

“African nations want to follow our concept and learn from our experiences and expertise,” he pointed out.

Malaysian private university offers scholarships to Africans

DAR ES SALAAM (June 30, 2013): In the latest move by Malaysia to help Africa build up its technological capabilities through human capital development, a Malaysian private university is offering 10 full scholarships to each African country participating in the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue.

The initiative is in addition to the Malaysian government's assistance in the area of education in this region.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak announced during the Global Smart Partners' Dinner, here, last night that Limkokwing University of Creative Technology offered the scholarships.

Seventeen African nations are participating in the dialogue, a platform for heads of government and state, business leaders, scientists and academicians to meet and discuss how science, technology and innovation can be leveraged to boost socio-economic transformation in the continent.

Najib said the university had three campuses, in Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland respectively currently, and planned to set up a new campus in Tanzania.

(Source: http://www.sun2surf.com)

PM: We have gained from Africa

DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania): MALAYSIA'S influence and reach in the African continent have grown tremendously over the years, thanks to the Smart Partnership Dialogue, the prime minister said yesterday.

This has benefited the country in the form of numerous opportunities for its companies and entrepreneurs.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak said these companies had achieved successes which may not be widely known in the country.

He cited as an example a Malaysian company in Kampala which imported furniture worth millions of ringgit annually from Malaysia for the Ugandan market.

"Petronas' ventures in Sudan are also a result of Malaysia's focus on Africa," he told Malaysian newsmen at a press conference at the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue 2013 at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre here yesterday.

"There is also Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, which has branch campuses in Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland, with a new one proposed for Tanzania."

Earlier, Najib attended a dialogue session on "Leveraging Technology for Smart Growth in Socio-Economic Transformation" with leaders and delegates.

He told newsmen that he shared Malaysia's experience -- its successes and weaknesses -- in applying technology towards meeting its goals and aspirations.

Najib arrives in Tanzania for the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue

DAR ES SALAAM (TANZANIA) – Datuk Seri Najib Razak arrived here last night to attend the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue.

The prime minister's aircraft landed at the Julius Nyerere International Airport here at 9.20pm local time Friday (2.20am Malaysian time Saturday).

He was accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala, and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa.

They were greeted on arrival by Tanzanian Minister for Communication, Science and Technology Prof Makame M. Mbarawa at the airport named after this country's founding father.

Najib will be joining 14 others heads of states and governments from African countries for the two-days dialogue starting tomorrow at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre, Dar Es Salaam, the country’s commercial capital.

The Malaysian premier is scheduled to leave on Sunday night for London for a working visit there. -- BERNAMA

Najib and Rosmah chat with Tanzanian Minister for Communication, Science and Technology Prof Makame M. Mbarawa at the Julius Nyerere International Airport. - Bernama

(Source: http://www.nst.com.my)

African nations need vision to propel development, says Najib

African nations need a clear vision by political leadership to propel their development to the next level, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Political leadership without vision would lead the continent nowhere in terms of development, he told the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Speaking to Malaysian journalists later, Najib said he shared with about 800 participants that they need science, technology and innovation policies in setting the development direction of their respective countries.

“They need to take into account the human and financial capital aspects,” said Najib, adding that they needed to draw their development plans according to their needs as there was no single formula that could be fixed for all.

He said African countries were still exporting their raw materials and they could not enjoy appropriate returns as they did not value-add their exports.

Mandela and Obama taking the thunder from GSPD

DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania): The fate of Nelson Mandela, who is critically ill in South Africa, has overshadowed the opening of the Global Partnership Dialogue (GSPD) 2013 at which is a Malaysian delegation led by the Prime Minister.

Tanzanians are holding prayers for the anti-apartheid icon. The 10 current and five former presidents from African countries attending the dialogue may have to cut short their trip to go to Johannesburg if Mandela’s condition turns for the worse.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, arrived at the Julius Nyerere International Airport here last night to join the think-tank sessions which begin today.

Yesterday, Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete opened the dialogue at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre.

The four-day meeting is receiving mixed attention owing to Mandela’s ill health. Furthermore, Tanzania is also all set for Barack Obama’s visit on Monday.