I am delighted to be here among you today in Dar es Salaam, at the first official engagement of my visit to Tanzania. This is a country which I deeply admire and know very well from my earlier close association with Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

I have just come from Ethiopia after attending the Second Africa India Forum Summit in Addis Ababa which concluded yesterday. I had extensive interactions with African leaders and found a fund of immense goodwill for India. The Summit has launched a new era of partnership between India and Africa in the true spirit of South-South cooperation. The decisions we have taken at the Summit cover the areas of training and capacity building, infrastructure development and trade and investment.

This is my first visit to Tanzania as Prime Minister and I look forward to my meetings with President Kikwete and other leaders of Tanzania tomorrow.

We have had historical links with erstwhile Tanganyika and Zanzibar. These have now been transformed into a strong and abiding relationship with the United Republic of Tanzania. Tanzania for us is the gateway to eastern Africa.

You represent both Tanzanians of Indian origin and Indian expatriates and constitute the largest migrant group in Tanzania. I understand that the total number of Persons of Indian Origin in Tanzania is over 40,000 spread all across the country.

Many years ago, adventurous sea faring traders and merchants crossed the Indian Ocean, braving harsh conditions, and forged new connections and linkages with this region. Many settled here to begin a new life.

Over the decades, the Indian community has earned a reputation for its entrepreneurial spirit, its perseverance and hard work, and for making remarkable contributions to the development of this country in areas like agriculture, education and health.

Indian expatriates, who first came as teachers and experts, and who now come as professionals and skilled craftsmen, have found Tanzania a rich and welcoming society, with many commonalities with India. Their numbers have grown and are indicative of our deep bonds of friendship. They symbolize the contemporary face of our civilizational and historical linkages with Tanzania and with East Africa as a whole.

The fact that Indians and Indian origin communities like you are living and working in various parts of Africa and helping to create wealth and prosperity is extremely impressive and commendable. It shows how well Indian communities have assimilated into local communities in this continent and how much their contributions are respected. I would urge you to be good Tanzanian citizens, and continue to spread the high values which India is known for.

I wish to particularly note the presence here today of Tanzanian Members of Parliament of Indian origin, many of whom were elected in the October 2010 general elections. Their participation in the political institutions of this country is a reflection of the trust and confidence they enjoy among the electorate. I congratulate them on their achievements and wish them all success in the service of the people of this country.

Our government is deeply committed to the welfare and prosperity of the Indian community in Tanzania. We have created a separate Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to look after the welfare of the Indian community overseas and to facilitate their participation in the socio-economic growth processes in India. The government has taken several initiatives such as establishment of the Overseas Indian Community Welfare Fund and the Overseas Indians Facilitation Centre. The Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas has become an effective platform for reaching out to our overseas community.

Your achievements are a matter of pride for all Indians. I am confident that each one of you will serve as a bridge of friendship between India and Tanzania. One of the cornerstones of our interaction remains our shared culture and traditions. I hope the Indian Cultural Centre in Dar es Salaam, which has opened recently, will provide a platform for children, families and others to preserve and promote our cultural traditions.

I once again thank you for being here today and giving me this warm welcome. I wish you all a very bright future in this great land that you have now made your home.

Thank you.