Joint Announcement of research and education interests of EU and Government of Tanzania

11th May 2018

Joint announcement by the EU Delegation and Government of Tanzania of shared research and
educational interests in Tanzania

Roeland van de Geer,

Ambassador of the European Union

to Tanzania and to the East African Community

11th May 2018

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Honourable Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce L. Ndalichako,

Directors of Tanzanian Research Organisations and Academia,

Members of civil society and the media,

Dear participants,

HABARI ZA ASUBUHI?

We are here today to announce two key events that highlight the EUs partnership with the
Government Tanzania to achieve the goals of the Second Five Year Development Plan.

The first event concerns the recently launched Call for Proposals which will aim to contribute to
the production of innovative and original research in the areas of economic and fiscal
governance. This Call for Proposals will be managed by the Government of Tanzania with
funding from the 11th European Development Fund. It is hoped that Tanzanian think tanks,
universities and academics will be key participants.

The second event is the EU Scholarship Fair which is happening this evening and tomorrow in
this building. The purpose of the European Scholarship Fair is to highlight Masters, PhD and
Postdoctoral scholarships and training opportunities available for Tanzania students who wish
to further their studies in Europe.

All these various events concern areas that are crucial to Tanzania's economic future: research
and education.

Research is an essential element for achieving the goals of the Second Five Year Development
Plan.

The EU is ready to support Tanzania's think tanks, universities and other research oriented
institutions which are key contributors, also to policy dialogue, through research and
dissemination of research results in industrialisation, economic transformation, inclusive
growth and poverty reduction.

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 Joint Announcement of research and education interests of EU and Government of Tanzania

11th May 2018

At a time when Tanzania is preparing to become a middle income country, economists need
more than ever provide evidence-based policy advice to address the challenges that Tanzania
faces.

In this connection, the EU is delighted to recognise the recent re-establishment of the Economics
Society of Tanzania, which we strongly feel will prove to be a valuable forum for discussion and
debate among Tanzanian economists and the public.

EDUCATION

Research is closely linked to education which brings me to the second series of events of this
weekend. Education, skills development and certainly also higher education is key elements in
the partnership of the EU and is Member States with Tanzania.

Therefore, I am pleased to announce that today and tomorrow, the second edition will take
place of the European Scholarship Fair for Masters', PhD and Postdoctoral scholarship and
training opportunities for Tanzanian students and academics.

The fair will provide detailed information and answer hopefully all questions by students and
staff regarding European scholarships, research, and training opportunities.

Europe is committed to engaging with Tanzanian students and researchers who seek to study in
Europe. European educational organisations welcome students from Tanzania; studying in
Europe is part of the strong historical connection between Europe and Tanzania and Mwalimu
Julius Nyrere himself studied in Scotland before Tanzania won its independence.

More broadly, education and skills development are key drivers of economic transformation
and an integral part of the Second Five Year Development Plan. Education enhances the
capacity of the workforce and ensures that the human resources are capable of responding to
the needs of the economy. This is essential as the country moves towards industrialisation.

We hope that some of the students who attend this scholarship fair this weekend will be the
researchers of tomorrow and will bring new ideas and fresh perspectives on the economic
challenges that Tanzania faces.

EUROPE

While I am talking today about education and research in the context of the challenges that
Tanzania faces, we should not forget that the EU, and more broadly, Europe is also facing
significant challenges.

Since 2009, Europe has been experiencing huge financial challenges and also the challenge of
greatly increased immigration. And next year the United Kingdom will officially leave the
European Union

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 Joint Announcement of research and education interests of EU and Government of Tanzania

11th May 2018

These are new challenges for the EU and for Europe as a whole. Like Tanzania, the EU will need
to conduct dialogue with stakeholders to discuss the challenges that we face, economically and
politically.

Let me warmly welcome the Honourable Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof
Joyce L. Ndalichako, to speak.

ASANTENI SANA!