Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has urged Zimbabwe and Tanzania to concentrate on their efforts to fight against poverty, disease, a local newspaper reported on Saturday.

Zimbabwe and Tanzania must concentrate on fighting poverty, disease, and for the empowerment of their people now that they both have attained political independence, Kikwete was quoted by The Herald, the state-run newspaper of Zimbabwe, as saying.

Officially opening the 47th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo, the largest economic center about 500 km from Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, on Friday, Kikwete said the attainment of political liberation did not mean the struggle had ended, but that it had taken a new dimension.

"We waged the struggle with steely determination and unprecedented cooperation, forming blood relationships in the process and in the end, we emerged victorious," Kikwete said. "Now, the fight is against poverty, underdevelopment and numerous diseases decimating our people with frightening cruelty."

"It is the struggle for social and economic advancement of our nations and people," the Tanzanian president said.

Kikwete said the two countries should bridge the gaps that exist between industrialized nations and the developing world in all areas of human life, so as to empower their people.

The trade fair was an important lever in the integration of the Southern African Development Community through helping to expedite the process of creating a single and integrated regional economy, the Tanzanian leader said.

The fair was also an important instrument for advancing economic cooperation between Zimbabwe and Tanzania, he added.

On trade between Zimbabwe and Tanzania, Kikwete said that the trade deficit was narrowing although his country has been registering a negative balance of trade for the past 10 years.

In 1995, the balance of trade was 16.14 million U.S. dollars in favor of Zimbabwe while in 2004 it improved to 8.2 million U.S. dollars.

The Tanzanian president ended his three-day visit, his first visit to Zimbabwe since his election into office, and flew back home on Friday.

Source: Xinhua