According to Tanzania’s Presidential Communications Director, Zuhura Yunus, Idris Elba is going to invest in a major film studio in Tanzania.
The Director of Presidential Communications disclosed this information to the media, during a briefing session on Monday on the outcome of President Hassan’s trip to Davos, Switzerland, for the 53rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.
“Discussions about the project have just begun, and if successful, the project will help not only Tanzania but also East and Central Africa,” she said.
Idris Elba is deeply rooted in Africa, having grown up in an African household, with a Sierre Leonean father and a Ghanaian mother, although he was brought up in Hackney and East Ham.
In his acting career, he has taken on roles that represent some of Africa’s deepest struggles in films like Beast of no Nation and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. In 2021, Universal Pictures is shooting the movie, Beast, all in South Africa, where Idris is the main actor.
During one of the press events to promote Beast, Idris Elba told the British national morning newspaper, The i newspaper that he wants to continue telling African stories and would like to bridge the gap between the African film market and the rest of the world. .
He said, “I am really keen on the development of Africa. My parents came from Africa and more than anywhere else in the world, I feel like the continent deserves some real tender care and love, and thought.
Young Africans see me as a leader or a beacon. And I think I can bring something. So I want to take what I have learned in the media and expand it in Africa.
He also went on to mention certain film industries on the continent that he believes are doing exceptional work and expressed his interest in helping the industry grow.
“I’m a fan of the Nigerian (film) industry. I’m a fan of the South African industry. Ghana has a very small industry. And I’m a fan of content creators in Africa, especially West Africa.
These smartphone-wielding kids are creating incredible content. And I feel like I’m being ignored. So, I’m really happy to try and help them grow.
During a fireside chat at the 2022 US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington DC, Idris Elba mentioned the huge potential of the African market, noting that its status as the fastest growing market on the planet makes many innovative efforts to be made. up.
He said, “In this country (America), you can’t make another McDonald’s Ford, Comcast, but in Africa, you can make everything.”
He also had some very powerful comments at the US-Africa Leaders Summit; Africa’s Digital Innovation Competitors event, where they expressed the enormous economic potential of the African market.
He told an audience of investors; “If any investor is listening or watching today if you do not consider Africa as a viable investment, you are not considering yourself or your future. Africa’s future is your own future and vice versa.
He also added, “We don’t need help anymore, we need innovation. We need partnership.”
This statement is very appropriate if you consider that the entire administrative ideology of President Samia is focused on building partnerships with foreign and local investors.
Since taking office, the Tanzanian president has gone out of his way to broker deals with many private and government investors.
Last year, he welcomed more than a dozen US organizations to explore the hidden economic opportunities in Tanzania, which brought 500 Tanzanian businesses to meet with the US delegation. They signed deals with many governments including the UN, South Korea, China, and France.
They have also partnered with several African countries including, Kenya, and Uganda, to facilitate trade access between their borders. He encouraged the exploration of the blue economy of Zanzaibar which 1000 foreign visitors were welcomed to explore.
And during the World Economic Forum, he focused on inviting investors to Africa to explore energy solutions on the continent, at a time when the world is experiencing an energy crisis.
Idris’ move to help develop the African film industry from the shores of Tanzania speaks volumes for President Samia’s leadership philosophy, and his open-door policy has certainly made this venture smooth and productive.