As a young developing Island, Zanzibar endeavours to build a strong and sustaining economy focused on the development of its natural and human resources. In terms of vision, the Government would like to see a society of educated and healthy individuals with a dynamic culture and sustainable economy. This vision can only be realized if the government works together with the private sector, with each one of them playing a complementary role.

Zanzibar has made major progress over recent years towards putting in place a general policy environment that is more favourable for private sector expansion and sustainable economic development. The role of the government in achieving economic development is changing and will continue to change overtime. 

Under the ongoing economic reforms the governments' role will be confined to the provision of public services; policy management and implementation; monitoring and evaluation of the various policies and strategies and promotion of an enabling environment for private sector investment in production, trade and in the provision of some social and economic services.

The government will be responsible for putting in place an effective regulatory framework in order to create fair competition in the various markets, to protect the environment and to guarantee quality of products.

This investment policy is one of the macro policies intended to contribute to the realization of the vision summarized above. It presents an outline of the Island's profile and economic development with regard to the political, economic, infrastructure, communication and legal systems. It also presents both broad and sector-specific investment policy objectives and their accompanying strategies.

Current priority sectors for investment have been identified to include: Financial and business services, including offshore and Freeport center activities, Tourism, Agriculture (crops, livestock and fish and marine products), manufacturing, Trade, and transportation.