The French Development Agency Agence Française de Développement has signed two environmental agreements with the Tanzanian government as relations between the two contries intensify.
AFD on Wednesday announced the signing of deal to develop the Shinyanga 150MW Solar Photovoltaic Plant, located at the Kishapu site.
According to the agency, the plant will be Tanzania’s first industrial-scale solar plant and the second largest photovoltaic plant in Africa.
“With a 150MW capacity, it will reduce emissions by 45,000 tCO2 annually, contribute to rural electrification, and modernize the energy grid. A key highlight of the project is its focus on increasing women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers through targeted internships and leadership training,” AFD says in the statement.
The second MoU is on Tanzania’s Mangrove and Forest Plantation Project, led by the Tanzanian Forest Services Agency.
The project is expected to enhance forest plantation productivity on over 22,500 hectares, to reduce the reliance on vulnerable natural forest ecosystems while fostering sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
“The project will also strengthen ecological management in the mangrove forests of Kilwa and Rufiji, which cover 76,000 hectares of vital coastal land, in partnership with the European Union,” the statement adds.
During President Samia Suluhu’s visit to France in May 2024, France and Tanzania signed the Paris Declaration to enhance cooperation on energy and climate change, water and the blue economy, transport infrastructure development, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.
The signing was conducted by then Foreign Affairs Minister January Makamba Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, France’s Minister of State for Development, Francophonie, and International Partnerships.
During the bilateral talks between President Emmanuel Macron and President Suluhu, the host reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Tanzania’s energy transition, emphasizing investments in renewable energy projects.
President Macron announced that France would actively invest in development projects to support clean cooking.
In the water sector, sustainable water management and marine resource conservation were key focal points. Initiatives like the One Water Summit and collaborative projects aimed at preserving marine biodiversity underscored the shared commitment to environmental sustainability.
As France losses support in West Africa, it has intensified its diplomatic activities in Eastern Africa, in particular Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
President Macron is set to make official visits to Djibouti and Ethiopia from December 20-22, 2024.
In March 2019, he paid his first visit to the region, visiting Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya in an effort to catch up on the new developments in the region by nurturing new partnerships across the region.
Djibouti, France former colony, has hosted a French military base since 1932 and signed a mutual defense treaty with the European country in 1977. It has since become a military hub for the US, China and Japan due to its strategic location.
Kenya and Tanzania have exchanged visits at the highest level in the recent past, with President William Ruto visiting in January, June and November 2023.
Regarding Ethiopia, the two leaders have met at least twice in the recent past, October 2018, 2019 and February 2023.
