Tanzania calls for deeper ties with the OPEC Fund to advance its energy, health, education and agriculture sectors
VIENNA: Tanzania has called for deeper cooperation with the OPEC Fund for International Development to advance priority development projects in energy, transport, health, education and agriculture.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, made the call on Wednesday when he represented Vice-President Deogratius John Ndejembi in talks with OPEC Fund President Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa at the Fund’s headquarters.
Dr Kombo thanked the OPEC Fund for its continued support to Tanzania through loans and grants for various development projects.
He said the government was committed to strengthening the partnership to support implementation of priority projects, including clean cooking energy initiatives.
Other areas identified for strengthened cooperation were transport infrastructure, health, education and agriculture.
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Dr Alkhalifa commended the Tanzanian government for its efforts to improve citizens’ wellbeing and socio-economic development through strategic priority projects.
He reaffirmed the OPEC Fund’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding cooperation with Tanzania and said the Fund sought to position the country as a model of successful development cooperation in Africa.
The talks provided an opportunity for the two sides to review their longstanding partnership and identify areas for further cooperation in development financing.
The Tanzanian delegation included Zanzibar Minister of State in the President’s Office Saada Salum Mkuya and Minister for Education, Science and Technology Prof Adolf Mkenda.
It also included Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy Eng Felchesmi Mramba, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Prof Carolyne Nombo and Commissioner for External Finance at the Ministry of Finance Rished Bade.
