Dar es Salaam. The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Tanzania and the Embassies of EU Member States Thursday celebrated Europe Day 2025, marking 50 years of partnership between the EU and Tanzania, and 25 years of EU – African Union relations.
A press release on Friday stated that the event underscored the reliable and growing strategic cooperation between the EU and Tanzania.
This yearβs Europe Day was celebrated focusing on Renewable Energy and the EU support in this area. Experts and policymakers agree that green energy provision plays a central role in Tanzaniaβs sustainable development, economic growth, and climate resilience.
The celebrations brought together Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, ambassadors of EU Member States, senior government officials, civil society, youth, media, and members of the diplomatic community.
In her remarks, EU Ambassador to Tanzania, Christine Grau, highlighted the depth of the EU-Tanzania partnership:
βOur partnership is evolving into a mature and strategic collaboration based on mutual interests and shared prosperity. We are not just donorsβwe are partners, and we are here to stay,β a press release quoted her as saying.
βThrough the Global Gateway Strategy, we are supporting Tanzaniaβs ambitions in renewable energy, digitalisation, value addition, and sustainable infrastructure,β she added.
Kombo welcomed the EUβs continued support, including in the energy sector, and commended the EU for aligning its cooperation with Tanzaniaβs Vision 2050.
Under the EUβs Global Gateway strategy, Team Europe has committed EUR 990 million (over Sh3 trillion) to support Tanzaniaβs energy sector.
This includes a direct commitment of EUR 191.9 million (Sh565 billion) by the EU to support clean energy access and cross-border integration under the Global Gatewayβs climate and energy pillar.
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Key investments include the Kakono Hydropower Plant, valued at EUR 299 million (Sh880 billion), with an EU contribution of EUR 36 million (Sh106 billion), as well as co-financing for the Zambia and Uganda interconnector projects, together valued at EUR 604.4 million (Sh1.8 trillion).
The EU is also supporting affordable and clean cooking solutions with an existing investment of EUR 30 million (Sh88 billion), and a new EUR 20 million (Sh59 billion) regional programme to scale up clean cooking and green energy solutions.
Further investment in energy infrastructure to support Tanzaniaβs agriculture and mining sectors is in the pipeline.
According to the EU, its partnership with Tanzania goes beyond infrastructure. For example, Europe Day guests met young Tanzanian women pursuing careers in the energy sectorβbeneficiaries of scholarships supported by the EU, UNDP, and the Embassy of Ireland.
In November 2024, 25 scholarships in sustainable energy engineering were awarded, bringing the total to 35, the EU noted. According to the bloc, this initiative, part of Tanzaniaβs first Energy Efficiency Action Plan, promotes gender equality in STEM and supports a more inclusive green transition.
Ambassador Grau highlighted that, over the past seven years, EU support of EUR 65 million (Sh192 billion) has helped to connect more than one-third of Tanzaniaβs villages to electricity, improving energy access for over one million rural people.
The EU said it is preparing a new phase of cooperation for 2026, aligned with Tanzaniaβs Vision 2050, focusing on climate resilience, sustainable growth, youth employment, and democratic governance.
βThe EU will continue to be Tanzaniaβs leading partner in trade, investment, and development, advocating for peace, prosperity, and inclusive progress,β it said in a statement.
