The cooperation between Tanzania and Finland aims at jointly developing new innovative ways to tackle climate change, to enhance pedagogical skills of teachers as well as to create jobs and livelihoods
Finland is known for its world-class technological innovations, effective education system and probably for many for being the happiest country in the world year after year. This has not always been the case. More than hundred years ago, Finland gained its independence from the Russian empire. We were one of the poorest countries in Europe, went through a bloody civil war soon after independence and two invasion attempts by the Soviet Union during the Second World War. What made Finland’s development possible then?
There are at least two different factors that can account for the Finnish success story.
One is the strong focus on the education system. Finland has no major natural resources to rely on, except our abundant forests, so we realized that people are our best resource. Providing equal education to all the girls and boys, no matter how remote they lived, was one of the key goals since the early years of Finnish independence.
Education alone is not a silver bullet to development, but it makes many things possible. The technological advances, Nokia phones taking over the world for example, would not have been possible without a highly educated population. Today, digitalization is in our business DNA and we have developed advanced digital services across the government and society.
When it comes to education, Finland is already active in Tanzania on many levels. Finland is supporting the development of the technical and vocational education and training, with focus on forestry, and many institutions of higher learning are cooperating with their Tanzanian counterparts.
The cooperation aims at jointly developing new innovative ways to tackle climate change, to enhance pedagogical skills of teachers as well as to create jobs and livelihoods.
Another key factor has been our belief in free trade and open markets. Today Finland is a keen member of European Union, the largest free trade area in the world. Finland has benefitted tremendously from the free flow of people, goods and capital through the European continent. Most importantly, Finland has benefitted from the free flow of ideas that the European integration has brought to us.
Finland has set out a goal of doubling its trade, not just exports, with the African continent by the year 2030.
Tanzania is one of the key partners to make this goal a reality. We strongly believe that the integration not only within the continents but also between different regions is a key to prosperity.
Formalising the trade relations in the form of European Partnership Agreements between regions or individual countries is one of the ways to do this.
Another prime example of economic cooperation is the EU-Tanzania Business Forum taking place in Dar es Salaam on February 23 and 24.
Finland has come a long way from its humble beginnings. We like to share our story and the lessons we have learned on the way. We do our best to become part of Tanzania’s success story as well, through active dialogue and increased trade. Today’s social challenges are complex – such as green and digital transformation – but they are also great opportunities. That is why we need to scale up our international business collaboration and co-creation.
Share this news
This Year’s Most Read News Stories
Zanzibar Airport Authority to audit ground handlers
Unguja. The Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) is set to conduct an audit on ground handling companies that currently operate at the Abeid Amani Karume Airport with effect from Monday. The week-long audit is set to include Transworld, ZAT and the newcomer Dnata Zanzibar who were licensed in June plus exclusive rights to manage Terminal 3 building by ZAA.Continue Reading
Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
European Union Bans Air Tanzania Over Safety Concerns
Kampala — The European Commission added Air Tanzania to the EU Air Safety List, banning the airline from operating within European Union airspace. This decision follows the denial of Air Tanzania’s Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), citing significant safety deficiencies.
The EU Air Safety List includes airlines that fail to meet international safety standards. Commissioner Tzitzikostas emphasized the importance of passenger safety, stating: “The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards. We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift action to address these safety issues. The Commission has offered its assistance to Tanzanian authorities to enhance safety performance and achieve compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania joins several African airlines banned from EU airspace, including carriers from Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Kenya. Notable names include Congo Airways, Sudan Airways, and Kenyan carriers Silverstone Air Services and Skyward Express. The ban reflects the EU’s strict approach to aviation safety worldwide.
Source: allafrica.com
