DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (ChatnewsTV) — On the 40th anniversary of the Belgium-Tanzania development partnership, Belgian officials underscored the lasting impact of their projects on Tanzanian communities. A Belgian delegation, composed of the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, the development agency Enabel, and the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO), is visiting Tanzania from November 11 to 15 to celebrate four decades of collaboration.
Highlighting the mission’s goal, the delegation stressed Belgium’s commitment to sustainable development projects aimed at improving Tanzanians’ quality of life. “Together with local, European, and international partners, we work hand-in-hand to improve the living conditions of Tanzanians,” the Belgian Development Cooperation Team stated.
In Kigoma, Enabel’s “Wezesha Binti” (Empower the Girl) program fosters access to quality education in gender-inclusive schools, ensuring a safe learning environment for young girls. Additionally, the Water and Sanitation Kigoma Region Project (WaSKiRP) improves access to clean water for over 129,000 Tanzanians through infrastructure upgrades and local water management training.
Belgium is also assisting in addressing environmental challenges at the Nyarugusu refugee camp in partnership with the World Food Programme and UNHCR. Refugees and local communities collaborate to mitigate environmental impacts caused by displacement.
On the economic front, Belgium’s contributions include supporting the Global Gateway’s Trade and Transport Facilitation project, which enhances the Dar es Salaam port’s efficiency and sustainability, ensuring safer, greener trade and transport operations.
BIO has played a pivotal role by financing Tanzanian enterprises such as EA Foods, which connects over 7,000 smallholder farmers to markets via digital solutions, and ASA Tanzania, which provides microloans averaging $216 to empower over 201,000 female entrepreneurs. “These investments underscore our commitment to sustainable socio-economic growth,” BIO representatives noted.
Belgium’s collaborative approach also extends to partnerships with global organizations, including UNICEF, UNDP, and the African Development Bank. The aim, as the delegation emphasized, is to “achieve more synergies that can enhance Belgian and Tanzanian interests.”
Reflecting on Belgium’s contributions over the years, the Belgian Development Cooperation Team reiterated its long-term commitment to Tanzania. “For 40 years, we have worked alongside the Tanzanian government and people, and we renew our pledge to support Tanzania for as long as needed,” the team said.
The Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) coordinates Belgium’s developmental policies, while Enabel promotes sustainable international development and BIO fosters investment in emerging markets, all united in a shared mission of improving lives and economic opportunity across Tanzania.
