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With its grand vision to produce students committed to social and national development, the Aga Khan Academy is set to become a reality in Tanzania as President Benjamin Mkapa lays the foundation stone on the site of the Academy today.

Consideration of the marine and maritime dimensions of Zanzibar's history and culture, broader tourism opportunities and major education projects were among the expanded development initiatives agreed by His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims during a three-day visit to Tanzania.

The government in Mwanza Region has requested Aga Khan Foundation in Tanzania, to look into the possibility of constructing a new hospital in Mwanza City to work hand in hand with Sekou Toure Regional Hospital.

The Acting Regional Commissioner, Ferdinand Mkude, when officially inaugurating a surgery room in the Aga Khan Health Centre in the city, which cost Tsh. 20 million issued the request. Mkude, who also is Nyamagana District Commissioner in Mwanza City said the city was expanding fast in parallel with population growth.

The Aga Khan Hospital, Tanzania announced on Tuesday that six of its upcountry Primary Medical Centres in Iringa, Dodoma, Mwanza, Morogoro, Mbeya and the new Mwanjelwa dispensary received ISO 9001:2000 accreditation in October 2004.

Your Excellency President Mkapa
Your Excellency President Amour
Your Excellency the Chief Minister
Honourable Ministers
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests

Your Excellency President Benjamin William Mkapa
Your Excellency President Salmin Amour
Your Highness (glancing towards Hazar Imam)
Your Excellencies
Honorable Ministers
Distinguished Guests

As Chairman of Tourism Promotion Services Zanzibar, the owner of Zanzibar Serena Inn, it is both an honour and a pleasure to welcome you here today for the official opening of the fifth Serena property in the United Republic to begin operations within the past twelve months.

Your Excellency President William Mkapa,
Your Excellency President Salmin Amour,
Honourable Ministers,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests

A fifth unit in the Serena hotels chain will be opened in Zanzibar this Saturday by His Highness The Aga Khan who is expected to arrived in Dar es Salaam at the weekend, according to confirmed sources.

The 39m dollar of investment follows the opening of three other tourist lodges in the northern tourist circuit and a luxury tented camp.

The 52 room Inn is located in the heart of Zanzibar's historic Stone Town. Two historical buildings were renovated for the purpose, through the Aga Khan Fund for Culture.

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is an international group of institutions, established by the Aga Khan, whose social, economic and cultural activities span South and Central Asia as well as Africa and include Europe and North America (see box).

Serena Hotels, South Africa's Stocks and Resorts Hotel, and Gibraltar-based Feram Holdings are the three companies short-listed for the acquisition of a 75 per cent stake in the government-owned Kilimanjaro Hotel in Dar es salaam.

The Nairobi based Serena Group of Hotels, which submitted its bid last year after the government announced its plans to sel some of its shares in the hotel, and Stocks and Resorts Hotel are the only companies from the COMESA region to show interest in the venture, while Feram Holdings is the only firm from outside Africa to put in a bid.

"Investment in historic cities can be a productive development investment, meeting practical needs, releasing creative energies and providing sources of social cohesion - not an unproductive investment in stagnating, barren environments."

Speaking at the inauguration of a 100-year old building, newly restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the Aga Khan drew attention to "the emerging understanding of the importance of culture as a critical element in development strategies in general, and for efforts to revitalise the historic cores of the world's towns and cities in particular."

The President of Zanzibar, Dr. Salmin Amour, has expressed his desire to see the Isles becoming a mercantile centre to oversee transfer of commodities between the outside world and the African continent.

Inaugurating the new Zanzibar Stone Town Cultural Centre here at the week-end, Dr. Amour further expressed his desire to see Zanzibar becoming another Dubai— or to be more exact, another Singapore.

He paid a glowing tribute to His Highness the Aga Khan and his entire working group for their effort to promote tourism in Tanzania.

"Understanding of the importance of culture is slowly emerging as a critical element in development strategies in general", the leader of the world's Ismaili community said in Zanzibar yesterday.

His Highness the Aga Khan made the observation at the inauguration of a 100 year old building, newly restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

He stated that culture was also crucial for efforts to revitalise the historic cores of the world's towns and cities.

President Benjamin Mkapa and the Shia Ismaili Muslim spiritual leader, Prince Aga Khan, yesterday visited the health professions development centre of the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam.

At the Centre, President Mkapa and The Aga Khan were shown various diagnostic facilities for critical areas of need such as cardiac care.

The enhancement of the Aga Khan Hospital's facilities is part of the Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS) programme of creating a regional health system across East Africa to ensure improved and high quality services.