Tanzania will receive 126.5 million euros from the European Union for the strengthening the road transport sector, the improvement of rural road infrastructure and access to water and sanitation.
This was recently communicated the European Commission during a visit to the country by Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President. The purpose of the visit is to reinforce the high-level political dialogue and economic cooperation with Tanzania.
Prior to the visit, President Barroso stated: “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. 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 or migration; issues which are of concern both for Africa and the European Union.”
The EU new support will allow to rehabilitate 200 km of roads and provide access to drinking water for half million people and improve sanitation infrastructure and services for some 140,000 inhabitants, the EU delegation stated.
Tanzania recently made massive natural offshore gas discoveries and the estimated reserves have already been revised upward to as much as 28.7 trillion cubic feet with recent offshore discoveries including one by Statoil ASA.
Among the oil & gas firm flocking into the country are European groups like British BG, Dutch Shell and French Total.