The European Union (EU) has announced a substantial financial payment of TZS 97 billion (EUR 33.12 million) as a grant to support the Government of Tanzania’s ongoing sectorial reforms.
This disbursement is aimed at fostering socio-economic development and enhancing the resilience of Tanzanian citizens.
The funding is allocated across five key sectors, each of which is crucial for the country’s growth and stability.
These are:
Blue Economy: Developing a climate-resilient blue economy along Tanzania’s coastal regions, including Zanzibar and the Indian Ocean.
The funds will support governance reforms, capacity building, and enhance inter-ministerial coordination. The Ministry of Finance and the Vice President’s Office for Environment will lead this effort.
Green and Smart Cities: Focused on promoting sustainable urban development in Mwanza, Tanga and Pemba, this support aims to improve living standards by enhancing environmental sustainability, creating economic opportunities, and improving public services, especially for women and youth.
Gender: Dedicated to advance gender equality and empowering women and girls, the funding will seek to address gender-based violence, promote economic empowerment, and support women’s participation in leadership and decision-making processes.
Digital4Tanzania: Aiming to leverage digitalisation for economic growth and improved public services, it includes expanding the Tanzania Government Communications Network and enhancing cybersecurity measures, in line with the Personal Data Protection Act.
Finance for Growth: It has a focus on improving fiscal governance and access to finance.
It will enhance domestic resource mobilisation, support financial market infrastructure, and promote public-private dialogue, particularly benefiting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, notably in favour of women and youth.
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This financial assistance, called “budget support”, is part of the EU’s ongoing partnership with Tanzania, aligning with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to bolster infrastructure and development through public and private sector investments.
“We are pleased to continue our support for Tanzania’s growth and development.
These funds are not just an investment in the present but a commitment to the country’s future,” said Christine Grau, EU Ambassador to Tanzania, adding, “By focusing on areas such as the Blue Economy, urban development, gender equality, digitalisation, and financial growth, we are helping to build a more resilient and prosperous Tanzania.”
The EU’s budget support is considered as an impactful financing tool as it allows for direct support to national policy reforms, making use of the country’s financial systems.
This approach reduces transaction costs for the government and increases mutual accountability and transparency.
The main objective is to contribute to a climate resilient Blue Economy on the Tanzanian coastal area, Zanzibar and the Indian Ocean (within Tanzania Exclusive Economic Zone).
Through budget support, the grant will contribute to transformative governance systems and policy reforms in specific public sectors, including capacity building for inter-ministerial coordination and governance.
Budget support and technical assistance will support key institutions to implement Tanzania ambitious goals in Blue Economy.
Ministry of Finance and Planning, as chair of the Blue economy Task force, Vice President’s Office for Environment, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism will be at the forefront of the implementation.
Many other agencies or institutions such as the Zanzibar Fisheries and Marine Resources Research Institute, the National Environment Management.
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Council and the National Carbon Monitoring Centre will be empowered and capacitated to deliver on the blue economy agenda.
Concerning Zanzibar a dialogue is established with the Ministry of Blue Economy and with the President Office Finance and Planning and the future cooperation will be made through technical assistance and through project activities.
The Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania and the East African Community is a key actor in the relations between the European Union and Tanzania as well as the East African Community.
The EU has set out the Global Gateway, a new European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.
Global gateway is implemented jointly under the Team Europe banner, meaning the EU institutions and EU Member States
Source: allafrica.com
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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).
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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
