Tanzania, France seek to strengthen bilateral relations

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania and France have signed the joint 'Paris Declaration,' to extend the Franco-Tanzanian partnership in key areas.

The declaration was a result of productive bilateral talks between President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris on May 14.

The declaration is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations in such areas as transition to clean cooking, women's empowerment, agriculture, trade, water management and investment.

The joint declaration was signed by Tanzania’s minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr January Yusuf Makamba, and Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, Mme Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, on May 14, 2024, in Paris on the sidelines of the Africa Clean Cooking Conference that was co-chaired by the Tanzanian leader. The signing was witnessed by President Hassan and her French counterpart, Macron.

During a briefing with reporters on Friday, May 17, 2024, at the State House in Dar es Salaam, the Director of Presidential Communications, Ms Zuhura Yunus, noted that infrastructure development as well as security issues in northern Mozambique and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) also formed part of the bilateral talks between the two leaders.

On May 14, after the signing ceremony, Mr Makamba, shared the news on his X account (formerly Twitter), expressing optimism about the agreement's impact.

“…It will further strengthen our already excellent relations. Thank you for your effort in this endeavour."

Mme Zacharopoulou, also highlighted the significance of the meeting on her X account.

"Our long-lasting friendship turns into a growing partnership," she stated.

President Hassan co-chaired the Clean Cooking Summit alongside African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Mr Fatih Birol.

The summit was able to mobilise $2.2 billion towards addressing a challenge affecting huge numbers of women and children.

“Insufficient funding and a lack of awareness about the economic opportunities within the clean cooking industry hamper efforts to scale interventions. Moreover, the development of the needed solutions is limited by insufficient research and innovation,” President Hassan told the global leaders at the summit.

On May 17, at the Dar es Salaam State House press briefing, the minister of State, Vice President’s Office [Union and Environment], Selemani Jafo, said the summit had a transformative impact on the continent.

“What began as Tanzania's agenda in 2022 has now expanded into a comprehensive strategy embraced by the entire African continent,” he said.

He emphasised the urgency of this initiative by noting that approximately 900 million people across Africa currently rely on unclean energy sources for cooking, which poses significant health and environmental risks.