Bruxelles 10/05/2018-08:32 Speeches of the Ambassador Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Roeland van de Geer on the Occasion of Europe Day 2018 EUROPE DAY 2018 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DAR ES SALAAM, 9 MAY, 2018 ADDRESS BY THE HEAD OF THE DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO TANZANIA AND THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR ROELAND VAN DE GEER Waheshimiwa representatives of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, Waheshimiwa Members of Parliament, Members of Regional Councils, Directors General and other representatives of the Government of Tanzania, Representatives of Local Government Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Representatives of independent institutions and of civil society, Business leaders and representatives of business and industry, Mabibi na Mabwana, Dear Friends, INTRODUCTION A warm welcome to all of you and thank you so much for attending Europe Day 2018, tonight in the National Museum, a place devoted to Tanzania's rich history. Pia, ninafurahi kuwa pamoja na nyie wote hapa. I extend this warm EU karibu to all of you on behalf of my 12 colleagues, the Ambassadors and High Commissioner of the Member States of the European Union in Tanzania, of our EU colleagues accredited to Tanzania from elsewhere, from neighbouring capitals such as Nairobi and Maputo, of the European Investment Bank and of the entire team of our EU Delegation here in Umoja House in Dar es Salaam. It is a true privilege to have so many friends of Europe in our midst here tonight and we are looking forward to an intensive month of May, Europe Month, including Europe Day on 17 May in the capital Dodoma and on 23 May in Arusha, with the East African Community.
THE EUROPEAN UNION Waheshimiwa, Mabibi na Mabwana, Europe Day, ladies and gentlemen, marks the day in 1950 on which the then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented his initial ideas for a supranational coal and steel authority to his colleagues. Please remember, this was just five years after the end of the Second World War which completely destroyed large parts of Europe; Schuman clearly was a forward looking visionary. Europe Day therefore does not mark a military victory or a revolution, no dramatic event, just a Minister handing over a document, a piece of paper to his colleagues. Simple, yet powerful and with far reaching consequences. This I think, is typical for the EU, we just love to be understated. Understated we may be, but do not make the mistake of underestimating us. In the decades since 1950, the European Union has come a long way and today, with 550 million people, the 28 Member States of the European Union constitute by far the world's biggest economy, representing well over 25% of all global economic activity and well over 30% of global trade. Yet it is not economically that the EU has made its biggest impact; that is without any doubt in peace and security. The European Union is the strongest possible expression of the conviction of the people of Europe that regional cooperation and not conflict and war, is the way forward. And today, Europe consists of democratic societies in which people are free to express themselves and in which discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender and sexual preference is not accepted, even if the fight against discrimination continues, also within our Union. The actions of a number of Governments of countries neighbouring Europe and even the actions by the current administration of the United States of America have made it abundantly clear that long standing relationships cannot be taken for granted. Therefore, the European Union and its Member States are taking a critical look at our joint external actions, including our security and our defence. The EU is preparing itself to play a much greater and a much more visible role in providing security and stability in an increasingly unstable world. The EU itself, as distinguished from our member states, envisages increasing its defence spending 22 fold in the period up to 2027 in support of its European Defence Fund and our Permanent Structured Cooperation in Defence. It is a high price to pay, but these measures and our defence related activities through the European Peace Facility show our commitment to a safer world. On this day next year, when I hope we will all be together again, our British sisters and brothers will have left us, a decision that we deeply regret and we already miss them today. But even then, after the UK, today the world's sixth economy, will have left us, the European Union will continue to be the world's biggest economic grouping and we will continue to be very much alive, very much kicking and in the forefront of scientific innovation, social reform, cultural enhancement and economic development, thereby making our planet a much better world to live in. Our Union, which recently has seen huge challenges and great difficulties, is built on solidarity and on our full commitment to peace and development. Europe is not turning inwards in the face of these challenges and difficulties; on the contrary, the current global situation calls for well-coordinated and determined international action and narrow cooperation with all our partners world-wide, in Asia, the America s, Oceania and certainly also in Africa, the continent to which Europe feels so closely connected. THE EUROPEAN UNION AND TANZANIA This brings me to the partnership between the United Republic of Tanzania and the European Union; a
partnership that is wide ranging and covers the political, economic and developmental fields. However, this partnership, as every relation, requires continued hard work, trust, dialogue and deep mutual commitment. The European Union attaches high importance to Tanzania maintaining an active international role; in the eastern and southern African region, in the EAC, in the SADC, in the Great Lakes Region, on the African continent and within the European Union s sister organisation the African Union, but also in the global context, including in the UN. We salute the efforts made by the Tanzanian People's Defence Force in the UN framework and with all Tanzanians we mourn those who fell in the Kivu's in the Democratic Republic of Congo; they gave their lives in defence of peace and security in the Great Lakes Region. TANZANIA While Europe sees Tanzania as a valuable international partner, we fully recognise that Tanzania itself continues to face considerable challenges. Accelerated poverty reduction and enhanced job creation are urgently needed, while service delivery and notably education require much investment and full engagement by all concerned. And, I can assure you, engaging is what the European Union is good at. Next Friday and Saturday, we expect to improve on the already overwhelming success of the European Scholarship Fair in May of last year, as the EU and the Member States, will present in the Julius Nyerere Conference Centre a wide range of opportunities for Tanzanians to further their education in Europe. All of us, also Tanzania's youth, need to be aware of the legacy of the past and continue to live up to the example set by Julius Kambarage Nyerere, our Mwalimu, our Teacher, born in 1922 in Butiama and with us until 1999, the first Prime Minister of Tanganyika from 1961 onwards and then the first President of Tanzania from 1964 onwards. But at the same time, we need to look ahead and address the future, as President Magufuli and his Government do. The Second Five Year Development Plan shows the strong determination of Tanzania to accelerate development and industrialisation and promote employment for all Tanzanians. EUROPE S SUPPORT TO TANZANIA Therefore, the European Union and its Member States as well as the European Investment Bank will continue to further assist Tanzania, to the best of our abilities, in addressing its key problems. These European efforts are intended to assist Government to address the challenges of fighting corruption and poverty, of promoting a diversified economy and of building strong and robust institutions that prepare Tanzania for the remainder of the 21 st century. Innovation and new approaches are very much at the heart of the cooperation between Tanzania and the European Union. It is in this connection that we highly value cooperation in the fields of governance, democracy, the rule of law and human rights. We support Government's efforts in these fields, including in the fight against female genital mutilation, against child marriage, for the defence of people with albinism and for the protection of human rights activists. We therefore continue to attach high importance to dialogue, dialogue with Government, our natural partners, but also dialogue with civil society and this would include dialogue to address the situation in Zanzibar, where issues of democracy and true popular representation remain unresolved. At the heart of our wider programme of cooperation are energy, agriculture and public finance management, all intended to assist Tanzania in building a capable and developmental state which will
lead the way in the full implementation of the Five Year Development Plan. This year, we pay special tribute to gender and agriculture for growth and sustainable development, so important to address the global challenges of poverty, climate change and food security. Today, here in the National Museum, our Member States and our implementing partners show in their stands their ongoing cooperation in the agricultural field as well as their efforts to promote full gender equality. The EU fully recognises that women have a fundamental role to play in the agriculture sector in Tanzania. Yet, women face persistent challenges, such as unequal access to capital, labour, knowledge and business networks. Through its past and current support to the agriculture sector, the European Union has contributed to gender inequalities being identified and addressed, to ensure that women are able to contribute to the development of the sector while addressing the wellbeing of their families and themselves. The European Union will continue to support women, given their role as key social and economic drivers, as key value chain actors and as entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector. Let me underline that agriculture is one of the European Union's key sectors of support to Tanzania almost with 400 billion Tanzanian Shillings allocated between 2014 and 2020. And let me equally underline that gender is a key cross cutting priority both for the European Union and Tanzania; we both support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including goal SDG 5, specifically dedicated to achieve gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. TRADE AND INVESTMENT However important our development cooperation may be, trade and investment are crucial for a better future for all Tanzanians. Based on our European experience, we strongly believe in the promotion of intra-african trade, but we are also committed to assist Tanzania in adding value to its exports to the rest of the world. While the EU is a major trade partner and while our trade world-wide continues to expand, trade relations between the EU and Tanzania offer ample space for growth. The EU has a lot to offer, as the world's largest single consumer market but also through its innovative technologies, its investors and its expertise. We therefore remain convinced that a full Economic Partnership Agreement between the East African Community and the EU will greatly assist Tanzania on its journey towards the middle income status and beyond. Well over 1000 European companies are active in Tanzania in a wide range of activities, from agriculture to transport, construction and services and the Tanzanian Investment Centre attributes the creation of almost 100.000 jobs to European companies in Tanzania. Therefore, our trade and investment relations should be enhanced including through cooperation between the business associations of the European Union and Tanzania. I am very pleased with the spectacular growth of the EU Business Group in Tanzania over the past years. We must continue the dialogue on trade and investment with full respect for each other's responsibilities and to discuss best practices, lessons learned and above all, the way forward. Also, we should learn lessons from elsewhere by understanding that Africa is divergent and simple projections of Africa rising and Africa falling" prevent us from understanding this large and diversified
continent. The end of the commodity boom which greatly contributed to economic growth in Africa between 2000 and 2013, gave rise to much pessimistic speculation. However, those countries that took advantage of the commodity boom, by implementing real structural changes to encourage diversity and stimulate industrialisation, have progressed, and continue to do so, while those that failed to implement reforms have stagnated or even regressed. Factors that appear to be contributing to increasing economic and political divergence in Africa, including economic growth slipping relative to population growth are: - poor economic governance and weak institutions; - democratic decline; - application of technology and innovation; and - economic integration and connectedness. Yet, in all these fields, the European Union is ready to work closely with Tanzania, as a partner, as a friend. However, do not expect us to say nice things only and to make false compliments, expect us to say what we think, expect us to enter into dialogue and even to attach strings if we think that is truly needed. CONCLUSION Waheshimiwa, Mabibi na Mabwana, please stay with us to enjoy the evening and especially the stands of our Member States and our implementing partners, which have been inspired by tonight's theme "Gender and Agriculture" Waheshimiwa, Mabibi na Mabwana, it is a great privilege to live and work in this beautiful country in this fascinating and challenging period of its history. I once more thank you all for being here with us to celebrate Europe Day. Let me round off for tonight by saying that the Umoja Wa Ulaya utaendelea kuwapa kipaumbele wakulima, hasahasa wakulima wanawake Waheshimiwa, Mabibi na Mabwana asanteni sana! www.eeas.europa.eu Source URL: http://eueuropaeeas.fpfis.slb.ec.europa.eu:8084/delegations/tanzania/44305/remarks-he-ambassadorroeland-van-de-geer-occasion-europe-day-2018_en