| Date: 20/07/2012 Time: 05:45:00 PM |
The President of the European Commission, Jose
Manuel Barroso, accompanied by EU Commissioner for Development, Andris
Piebalgs, will visit Tanzania tomorrow, Saturday, for talks with President
Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and senior ministers of the government.
"Tanzania has become one of the EU's main partners in Africa, and is also
playing an increasingly important role in the stability of the whole region,"
said Barroso in press statements today.
"We now want to deepen our regular political dialogue with Tanzania and
further increase our cooperation in areas like energy, security, anti-piracy,
counter-terrorism and migration, issues which are of concern both for Africa
and the European Union," he added.
During the visit, six new financing agreements will be signed, worth a
total of EUR 126.5 million, he noted.
This new support will help to rehabilitate more than 200 kilometers of
roads or provide access to drinking water for 500,000 people and to improved
sanitation infrastructure and services for some 140,000 inhabitants.
The signature of the East African Community Economic Partnership Agreement
with the European Union is also high on the agenda of the discussions as
Tanzania's commitment will be instrumental to reaching an agreement soon, said
Barroso.
Tanzania is part of the East African Community (EAC), an intergovernmental
organisation which also includes Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda which has
established a customs union and a common market for its member countries.
Economic Partnership Agreements aim to create a free trade area between the
European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.
Tanzania is also an important partner of the European Union in the fight
against Somali piracy, which also threatens their off-shore gas activities,
said the statement.
Under the 10th EU Development Fund (2008-2013), more that EUR 606 million
have been allocated to cooperation with Tanzania; focusing on three main
areas: general budget support, infrastructure, and trade and regional
integration. |