French Ambassador Nabil Hajlaoui unveils impact of Tanzania-France Paris Declaration

By Emilie Authier

Dar es Salaam. As part of the celebration of the French National Day, Mr Nabil Hajlaoui, Ambassador of France to the United Republic of Tanzania, granted us an interview, providing an opportunity to discuss various aspects of current Franco-Tanzanian relations.

Mr Hajlaoui, you have a very rich and diverse career in French diplomacy. You served as the Head of the Eastern Africa department at the Quai d’Orsay, which defines France’s diplomatic direction and coordinates its external actions in 11 African countries. You are therefore aware of the respective issues in many countries. After almost three years as the French Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania, what are, by comparison, the significant specific challenges in this country?

NH: This is a question that allows us to perceive the regional and global issues impacting this part of the world. The first issue is one of neighbourhood. France is an Indian Ocean country; we are present in Mayotte and La Réunion, with millions of our fellow citizens living in the immediate vicinity of Tanzania, so it is important for us to address the various issues that concern them. This is the first angle that makes our relationship with Tanzania and East Africa special. The second angle is that this region is at the heart of our global concerns, and we wish to cooperate more with the countries in this region to establish a diplomacy of common goods for their preservation: natural resources, biodiversity, climate, and energy transition. The last point, which is extremely important for us, and for the people of this region, is the issue of peace and security. The reality is certainly very contrasting, but overall it is a situation with major peace and security issues, which have enormous impacts on human development. Amidst all of this, we have Tanzania, which is a special partner, both in terms of neighbourhood and development. It is a partner that has shown very positive developments in recent years. There has been a real rapprochement between Tanzania and France since the arrival of the current President, Samia Suluhu Hassan. We have a true convergence with the President and a common interest in ensuring that Tanzania progresses on the path of development.

What does July 14th represent for the French and the world? How are the values of this National Day transposable to Tanzania?

NH: July 14th is a unifying event for all French people, and even more for those living abroad. It connects them to their homeland and their community, as well as to patriotic values, which may be more significant for expatriates who perceive more acutely the importance of the national community. Regarding the Tanzanians, since we will celebrate this ceremony here, in Dar es Salaam, it is a reminder of what this celebration means to the French: on July 14, 1789, a population rose up against oppression and demanded rights, appealing to the humanity in everyone, and the journey that followed, inspiring the whole world. These values: Liberty, Equality,

Fraternity, resonate particularly in Tanzania because Tanzanians share many of these values. We are in a country with a Constitution that upholds these principles, that adheres to the values of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and that has hosted international courts on its soil, in Arusha, in the north of the country, to fight impunity. It is also one of the few countries in the world, alongside France, to explicitly mention the principle of secularism in its Constitution. In Tanzania, we are in a Republic where secularism is a fundamental principle governing public life in the country. Therefore, there are many shared values, common rules, and this is what allows us to celebrate this here with our Tanzanian partners.

How would you describe the evolution of Franco-Tanzanian relations over the years?

NH: I have witnessed the relations that France maintained with Tanzania in previous years. The relationship was more distant; at that time, there was a Tanzanian leadership that sought to limit interactions with international partners, had a different vision for its development path, and gradually strained relations. For the past three years, since the current President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, took office, relations have not only warmed but there has been a very clear choice to open up to the outside world, with France becoming its first step towards the Western world. Shortly after assuming office, the President initiated her visits to northern and western countries, starting with Paris and then Brussels. There is a shared awareness that together we can better address common challenges. Our response has been that we are fully willing to support the Tanzanian authorities in this choice. There has thus been a significant shift in the relationship we have maintained with Tanzania in recent years, particularly under this presidential administration.

In May 2024, the French Ambassy in Tanzania hosted the 2nd France-Tanzania Business Forum to explore new market opportunities in various sectors. What were the outcomes? What is the current state of economic and commercial relations between France and Tanzania?

NH: As you mentioned, this was the 2nd Forum; the first took place two years earlier in May 2022, at the invitation of Samia Suluhu Hassan. After her visit to Paris, the President invited MEDEF, the main employers' organization in France, to explore the Tanzanian market. The goal was to mark a new stage in facilitating French investments in Tanzania, and enhancing Tanzania's attractiveness to French economic operators. Tangible outcomes have been observed, included projects like a harbour managed by a French company in Zanzibar, a government base in the southern part of the country operated by a French company, Air France flights introduced, the Uganda-Tanzania pipeline project, and numerous others, including the Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway where France plays a leading role. These are concrete initiatives that impact the lives of Tanzanians. During the 2nd Forum, several issues were explored, including discussions with the Tanzanian Minister of Transport regarding the Dar es Salaam harbour and the potential involvement of a French group in its management. Other discussions focused on sports infrastructure equipment, as Tanzania prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, an area where France has expertise. The discussions were diverse, and we aim to continue advancing them. For instance, on July 12th, there will be the inauguration of an electrical connection line between Tanzania and Zambia, funded by the French Development Agency.

What are the main sectors in which French companies have massively invested recently in Tanzania? What are the future investment prospects?

NH: There are two main sectors: development projects and areas where private operators wish to invest. The development project portfolio is primarily managed by the French Development Agency, with a budget of 1.2 billion euros, making it the largest portfolio in volume in East Africa. The most significant sector is energy, followed by transport, and others. Next, we have activities from private companies, which vary widely, but energy remains the leading sector of interest, followed by logistics and transportation in a broad sense: ports, airways, maritime routes, etc. Broadly in connectivity, there are major telecom operators in Tanzania. In network installation, a group named SAGEMCOM is present in Tanzania to expand the fibre network and assist with electrification in certain areas where there are needs. So, it's quite diverse: energy primarily, infrastructure, and other sectors such as tourism, French being among the top tourists in Tanzania, healthcare, and the technology sector with new startups entering the market.

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The geographical proximity of Tanzania to the overseas territory of Mayotte raises issues in terms of managing migration flows and security questions. How is the French Embassy concretely useful to Tanzania and its citizens in this regard?

NH: The proximity of Mayotte means that Tanzania can become a transit point for migratory flows from French-speaking countries in Central and East Africa, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, etc. Tanzania has a role to play; we need to build cooperation to manage these illegal flows, which also disadvantage Tanzanians. Tanzanians seek cooperation with Mayotte and La Réunion, but not in the form of clandestine immigration. Therefore, we are working together to jointly fight and stem this phenomenon. Starting this summer, we will have an Internal Security Advisor in Dar es Salaam who will liaise with Tanzanian authorities to manage migration and transit issues. There is a legal framework to establish, and we are in the process of doing so to ensure that repatriations can be carried out under normal conditions to their countries of origin. Tanzanians understand the mutual interest we share in addressing this issue, as well as the challenges of trafficking. We have reliable Tanzanian partners among intelligence counterparts, police services, and armed forces. Our cooperation is under development, and we hope to see it come to fruition very soon.

Since 2019, higher education cooperation between France and Tanzania has expanded to scientific fields. What do these institutional partnerships offer students?

NH: Franco-Tanzanian academic cooperation has had its ups and downs. Around twenty years ago, there was strong collaboration, particularly between agronomy universities, but this cooperation gradually relaxed. Nowadays, we are revitalizing it. We have had a French expert based in a Tanzanian university for a year now, initiating cooperation projects between France and Tanzania in university research. We aim to launch other initiatives, including creating startups focused on agricultural innovation, which is a Tanzanian priority. We also have scholarships that allow young Tanzanian graduates to further their education and establish research ties with French partners. Despite budget constraints, we aim to expand these efforts. The new aspect is that we are integrating into projects with other partners. Last year, the Indians launched the Indian Institute of Technology based in Zanzibar, the first time such an institute has been established outside of India. We acknowledge the academic excellence of this university, which has extensive partnerships with renowned French universities, allowing us to strengthen this cooperation, with French students coming to Zanzibar instead of going to India. The goal is also to involve universities in La Réunion and Mayotte due to their geographic proximity. If young French, Tanzanian, and Indian students collaborate on projects in Tanzania, it will mark a significant step in this trilateral cooperation.

Both France and Tanzania are members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). What does it mean to be partners in the blue economy agenda?

NH: The presence of Marc Abensour in Tanzania, Ambassador in charge of the Indo-Pacific, consulting Tanzanians, exchanging with them, and discussing future cooperations is very significant. We consider Tanzania a major player within the IORA. Blue economy is a priority area for Tanzania, particularly in Zanzibar, where a strategy has been developed, in which we participated. We deployed a French expert who worked in Zanzibar for over a year and contributed to shaping Tanzania's strategy on the Blue Economy. Today, we are implementing the priorities of this Tanzanian strategy in a concerted manner, with members of the French Navy based in Zanzibar cooperating with Zanzibar coast guards. We have other ideas for the future and are closely collaborating with stakeholders in Zanzibar on this matter. We aim to do more through a new offshore platform, enhance sustainable resource management, combat illegal fishing, and improve maritime domain awareness, all in the spirit of sustainability. This aligns with Tanzanian priorities and meets with a broader French vision. The Cooperation Agreement on the Blue Economy between France and Tanzania, signed in February 2022 in Brest, is a perfect example of this collaboration.

In May 2024, Tanzania and France jointly signed the new Paris Declaration. This Agreement has been reported to represent very significant measures, especially the inclusion of clean cooking in the partnership. What does this Agreement concretely change?

NH: What this Agreement states is that we share common objectives, and France selects Tanzania as a privileged partner in its new vision of partnerships in Africa. Tanzania is among the priority countries accelerating this new partnership model because we share many values. In this roadmap, we jointly prioritize areas, and the inclusion of clean cooking is a result of these prior discussions. Tanzania has become the African and international champion of this policy aimed at helping families in countries still using charcoal and wood cooking methods, transition to cleaner cooking methods. This issue is crucial as it leads to societal improvements: it redefines women's roles in society, enhances safety, increases availability for education, and more. It is a transformative factor. We were convinced by Tanzania's approach, hence our desire to host this Summit in Paris in May 2024. To financially support this Tanzanian project, a budget of 2 billion euros has been allocated for the year thanks to France and European partners. All other sectors discussed also stem from deep and trusting exchanges between partners who know each other well, with each contributing their share to the framework. The final point of this Agreement is Tanzania's adherence to the Paris Pact for the Planet and Peoples, affirming our collective commitment to development, environmental preservation, and the well-being of peoples. Tanzania joined this Agreement in May 2024 and will play a leading role in these discussions involving all partners. This demonstrates both France following a Tanzanian initiative, and Tanzania aligning with a French-initiated approach, making it innovative and virtuous simultaneously.