FRANCE IN TANZANIA

 

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                Until recently, France was more active in Tanzania through its participation in multilateral aid than at a bilateral level. Its participation in international programmes is still important. This is particularly the case for European aid since every single action launched by the European Commission in Tanzania and in the rest of the developing countries is financed by the French Government for almost 25 %.
While France will maintain its international contributions, it has decided to substantially increase its bilateral cooperation programmes with Tanzania and the East African Community.
That is why Tanzania has been included in the new French "Priority Area of Solidarity", the composition of which was made public in February 1999. The ZSP (the French acronym for "Zone de Solidarite Prioritaire") includes the countries where France is concentrating its development assistance (61 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, including 30 Less Developed Countries). While it was once restricted to mainly francophone African countries, its recent enlargement is proof of Frances desire to provide bilateral development assistance to all countries of Africa, as illustrated by the four visits to Tanzania by the French Minister for Cooperation, Mr.Charles Josselin ( October I999, January,February and July 2000.)
As for Tanzania, this means a reinforcement of French cooperation through the mobilisation of new specific instruments, without neglecting the traditional fields of co-operation.

1. THE NEW INSTRUMENTS OF FRENCH BILATERAL AND REGIONAL COOPERATION

1.1.The AFD (French Agency for Development / Agence Francaise de Developpement) and PROPARCO

1.1.1. The AFD is playing a key-role in the French development aid system. As a development bank, it provides governments and public companies with credits in the form of grants or soft loans to finance infrastructure facilities and job-creating investment projects. The AFD is operating in all the countries of the Priority Area of Solidarity defined by the French government. The AFD opened a regional office in Nairobi in January 1997 and has been operating in Tanzania since 1998.
So far, the funds committed by the AFD in Tanzania amount to 9.9 M US$. These funds include a study fund worth US$ 0.8 M, and two projects.
The first project is a US$ 3.7 M grant to the government for the renovation of the Morogoro electricity sub-station. The second project, worth US$ 5.7 M, concerns the construction of rural markets in Morogoro and Kongwa districts.
Currently, the AFD is funding preparatory studies on a "small town water supply and Sanitation Project", to complement the national "rural water supply and sanitation project" (RWSSP) supported by the World Bank.
Similar projects in the water sector will benefit to bigger cities such as Bukoba, Musoma and Mwanza (where in addition AFD could finance the rehabilitation of primary drainage network as well as the upgrading of secondary and tertiary networks).
At regional level, AFD will give its backing to the EAC (East African Community) with regional infrastructure projects. These are mainly related to the sustainable use of Victoria Lake (water sanitation projects) within the framework of the partnership agreement on Lake Victoria signed by the French Government (and other donor agencies) with the Communitys Secretariat general in April 2001.

1.1.2. PROPARCO ("Investment and Promotion Company for Economic Cooperation") is the AFD s subsidiary for private sector credits. In Tanzania, Proparco s commitments are in the financial, the industrial and the agro-industrial sectors.

1.2. Technical cooperation

Another new instrument of French cooperation in Tanzania and in the East African Community is the "Priority Solidarity Fund" (Fonds de Solidarite Prioritaire), allocated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and designed to finance pluri-annual development projects (especially institutionnal support and technical assistance).
As a result of discussions engaged with the Tanzanian authorities in 2000 and 2001, the FSP will mainly concern the sectors of agriculture, tourism, water and education.
A special mention should be made of a cultural tourism project : the rehabilitation and promotion of the archeological and historical site of Kilwa, in partnership with Unesco and the Japanese cooperation, accompanied by local development projects.
The FSP will also be mobilised in support of regional integration through assistance to the Secretariat general of the EAC (East African Community) to produce studies and assessment reports related to economic integration as well as to promote exchange of expertise with African regional organisations ( such as the WAEMU, West African Economic and Monetary Union), or projects ( such as the improvement of navigation safety on Lake Victoria) .

1.3. Social development fund

A limited budget, of Euro 610 000 (the equivalent of which is about 560 000 US$), for micro projects with direct impact on poverty alleviation will be made available in 2002.

2. OTHERS ACTORS OF THE FRENCH BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH TANZANIA.

2.1 NGOS

Three French NGOS participate actively to the economic and social development of Tanzania in the sectors of education, health and rural development.

- the NGO "Aide et Action" has been active since 1996 in the primary education sector, in the Mwanza region ;
- the NGO "Medecins du Monde", active in Tanzania since 1995, has recently transferred its expertise and assets to TADEPA , a Tanzanian NGO working on HIV projects in the region of Bukoba ;
- the NGO "FERT" is supporting Mviwata, a nationwide organisation of small scale farmers and a micro-credit program.

2.2 French local governments

Local governments, especially from the French island of La Reunion, are eager to develop ties with Tanzania and contribute to French development aid to the country. Co-operation has started in the sector of health, education and culture.

3 - OTHER TRADITIONAL AREAS FOR FRENCH COOPERATION

3.1 Promotion of the French language :

Given the close relationships Tanzania is maintaining with its francophone neighbours, the development of inter african economic and cultural exchanges as well as the significant development of international tourism, the demand for French language is increasing. In this context, France is providing support to secondary schools where French is taught, the Language Department of the University of Dar es Salaam, and the Changombe Teachers Training College.

3.2 Promotion of franco-tanzanian cultural cooperation.

The new premises of the Alliance Francaise of Dar es Salaam were inaugurated in May 2000, allowing for a better development of cultural partnerships. The Alliance Francaise has also opened a branch in Arusha in October 2000.

3.3 University cooperation

The Nairobi based french Institute for African Research (IFRA) is responsible for research programs in social sciences, publications on Tanzania, in partnership with the Dar es Salaam University and the Interuniversity Council (for the EAC countries).

3.4 Audiovisual sector

Canal France International (CFI) has signed agreements with ITV and ITV 2.
Radio France International (RFI) broadcasts its programs in French and in English on FM, 6 hours per day, in partnership with the Tanzanian radio station "Tumaini".

4- MILITARY COOPERATION

France and Tanzania share the same concern for security and peace on the African continent and in the Indian Ocean region.
During the last years, co-operation between the Tanzanian Peoples Defence Forces and the French Forces in the Southern Zone of Indian Ocean (FAZSOI) has increased. In June 2000 Tanzania and other African countries joined the peacekeeping exercise "Geranium 2000" in La Reunion.
Two years ago, France and Tanzania have agreed to co-organize in Tanzania in 2002 the third peacekeeping exercise ("TANZANITE"), which is part of the "reinforcement of African peacekeeping capabilities" French concept (called "RECAMP"). "TANZANITE" will involve at least 15 African countries (SADC member States plus Kenya and Madagascar). "TANZANITE" will also be supported by some 20 other countries, from European, American and Asian continents, as well as by international organisations like Union Nations and OAU.

 

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