Ireland Commits EUR 2.4 Million to Support Tanzania’s Trade and Economic Growth

The Government of Ireland through its embassy in Tanzania, has committed EUR 2.4 million to support TradeMark Africa (TMA)’s programming initiatives aimed at strengthening trade and economic growth in Tanzania for the period 2024/25 to 2025/26.

This commitment was formalized by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ireland’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms. Nicola Brennan, and TMA’s Country Director for Tanzania, Mr. Elibariki Shammy, in August 2024.

The three-year agreement is designed to drive substantial improvements in Tanzania’s trade infrastructure, reduce trade barriers, and enhance business competitiveness.

It is instrumental in advancing digital systems, improving market access, and fostering inclusivity, particularly for women traders transitioning from informal to formal trade routes and greening trade – a new priority area to promote more sustainable trade and transport corridors through integrating climate action.

At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Brennan stated “Ireland is proud to partner with TradeMark Africa in this crucial initiative. By improving trade infrastructure and reducing trade barriers, we can make a significant contribution to Tanzania’s economic growth and the prosperity of its people. This funding reflects our shared commitment to fostering sustainable development and economic opportunities in Africa, while also strengthening the economic ties between our two nations.”

On his part, Shammy highlighted “This funding from the embassy of Ireland is essential in enabling us to effectively execute our strategy. It allows us to drive significant improvements in trade facilitation, which are crucial for Tanzania’s economic growth. Our focus is on ensuring that our programs benefit all traders, especially women, who play a vital role in the economy. With this funding, we can scale up our efforts in facilitating trade and investment, improving the quality of traded goods, and promoting inclusivity and green trade practices.”

The TMA Tanzania Country Programme Strategy 2023-2030 is focused on delivering two primary outcomes: increased market access through improved transport infrastructure and reduced trade barriers, and enhanced business competitiveness through capacity building and public-private dialogue.

It aligns with TMA’s broader strategic objectives of addressing challenges in the trade environment like improving transport infrastructure, enhancing trading standards, reducing non-tariff barriers, and promoting green trade practices.

TradeMark Africa and Ireland in Tanzania

TradeMark Africa (TMA), formerly TradeMark East Africa, is an Aid-for-Trade organization that was established in 2010, to grow prosperity through increased trade.

TMA works closely with regional intergovernmental organizations, including the African Union (AU), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the East Africa Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU).

Since launching operations in Tanzania in 2011, TMA has collaborated with partners such as the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Revenue Authority(TRA), Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) to improve their capacity and efficiency in facilitating trade.

Ireland’s partnership with Tanzania is built on a long history of development cooperation, strong people-to-people connections, and cultural and political exchange.

Over the years, the Irish embassy has consistently supported initiatives in health, community development, civil society, gender equality, and the women’s movement.

This is Ireland’s second funding to TMA, following the initial EUR 1 million in December 2018 to boost trade capacity.

In the same year, Ireland also pledged EUR 2.76 million to enhance income opportunities in Tanzania’s agriculture sector.