Dar es Salaam. Christine Grau, the new European Union Ambassador to Tanzania, officially assumed her role by presenting her credentials to President Samia Suluhu Hassan Monday at the State House in Dar es Salaam.

During the occasion, Ambassador Grau expressed her deep appreciation for her warm welcome in Tanzania. She conveyed the EU’s continuous commitment to strengthening the already close partnership between the EU and Tanzania.

“I am truly honoured to serve as the EU Ambassador to Tanzania. I am strongly committed to deepening the bonds between the EU and Tanzania,” Ms Grau said.

“Together, we can achieve more sustainable socio-economic development, foster trade and investment, and strengthen our cooperation in other areas in a way that reflects our shared values and aspirations for good and democratic governance.

“And I am looking forward to engaging with people in this country.”

Furthermore, Ambassador Grau emphasised the EU’s dedication to advancing gender equality in line with the government’s priorities.

Before her appointment as EU Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Grau served within the European External Action Service and the European Commission in areas such as external relations, enlargement and neighbourhood policies, migration and human security, and Justice and Home Affairs.

She was also previously posted to Guinea-Conakry and Romania. She’s replacing Manfredo Fanti, who has been the Head of the European Union Delegation to Tanzania and the East African Community (EAC) since October 2019.

Speaking about EU-Tanzania cooperation, Mr Fanti said on January 13, 2023, that the volume of cooperation between the two has “progressively increased” and now stands at Euro 105 million, which includes grants from the EU to Tanzania.

Most of the funds have been used in investment in development projects, which include energy, gender, rural development, private sector development and climate change, to name but a few.