Goge Africa visits East Africa, seeks promotion of tourism, investment

In a bid to explore intra-connectivity investment in business and tourism in Africa, Goge Africa management team, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Isaac Moses and the Managing Director, Ambassador Nneka Isaac – Moses, recently visited two East African countries, Tanzania and Burundi.

According to the team, the visit was an insightful one, which also paved a way for them in their quest to identify barriers to intra-trade in Africa and how to work towards eliminating them.

In the team’s view, it is only when genuine efforts are made to remove these challenges that the question of why African countries don’t trade directly with each other can be truly addressed, otherwise Africans will continue to look up to far away Asia, Europe, America and others. Their stand is that Africans should invest in Africa, insisting that the political and economic leaders must stop moving the wealth of Africa outside the continent if they want the progress of Africa.

The first country visited by the team was Tanzania, where the Tanzanian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Alfred Bana, facilitated a meeting between the trio of Goge Africa, Tanzania Tourist Board and Zanzibar Commission for Tourism. The Goge team was received at the Tanzania Tourist Board office in Dar Es Salam by the Director of Marketing, Dr. Gladstone Mlay, who, after the fruitful discussion, pledged the commitment of the board in partnering with Goge Africa to promote Tanzania as a must visit destination in Africa for tourism and investment.

Thereafter, the team also met with Dr. Mohamed Mkurugenzi Masoko, who had to sail from Zanzibar to Tanzania, to meet with the team at Kigamboni area of Gezaulole at Bamba Beach, a privately owned resort on the peninsula. At the end of the meeting, the Goge Africa team went on a guided tour of the facility.

Relieving his experience, Isaac Moses said: ‘‘Bamba beach is a very beautiful eco-friendly resort with huge potential for investors in the tourism sector. It has a nice curvy lake amidst the green vegetation that runs slowly into the ocean.”

He continued: “The next country to visit was Burundi on the invitation of the Nigerian Ambassador to Burundi, Elijah Onyeagba. The team visited the Mayor of Bujumbura, CP. Jimmy Hatungimana, where they were warmly received and hosted to traditional African hospitality by the Mayor. The team later held a meeting with the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage. In attendance were the Assistant to the Minister, Mr Jean Claude Kanene, DG of Sports and Culture, Mr Samuel Niyubahwe, and the Director of Sports, Mr Laurent Nzeyimana.”

Recounting the weekend experience, Nneka Isaac-Moses said: “The team in company of the wife of Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burundi, Elijah Onyeagba, Her Excellency Mrs. Udo Onyeagba and others toured the border of Burundi and Congo Democratic Republic, as well as Parc National De La Rusizi. It was a magical journey of discovery. From the quiet waters of brown coloured Rusizi, we watched a pod of hippopotamuses, different species of birds that fluttered away as we clapped from our boat. Within minutes, we were at the magical but natural divide where brown coloured Rusizi meets with blue Lake Tanganyika. The boat cruise experience was capped with a cultural feast served by Burundians as the team was treated to a sample of the internationally acclaimed music and dance of Burundi.”

Nneka also recommends a number of Burundi foods to anyone visiting the country. “I recommend Mukeke and Sangala fish prepared in the Burundian style to anyone visiting Burundi. Their avocados pears are very fleshy and big as a baby’s head. Burundi is not just food sufficient but Rwanda, Congo and other neighbouring countries depend on them for food. Investment in Agriculture will yield return on investment fast.’’

Adding voice to the Burundi experience, Isaac Moses said: “Contrary to popular belief, Burundi is not a poor country. They have food sufficiency with the most fertile land in the whole of Africa. Lake Tanganyika is a fresh water lake and home to over 200 species of fish.”

Nigeria’s Ambassador Onyeagba also engaged Nigerians and the Diaspora community on the opportunities available in Burundi. Goge Africa team caught up with Pinnacle International Investment Club, which were also in Bujumbura on the invitation of Nigeria’s envoy to explore opportunities for investment.

The Goge Africa team was hosted by Kiriri Garden Hotel, Hotel Club Du Lac Tanganyika and Olivia Hotel owned by a Nigerian during the visit.

Meanwhile, the newly birthed Goge Africa and Partners network are planning to embark on Destination East Africa, a project aimed at promotion and advocacy for inter-connectivity and intra-Africa travel, trade and investment.