FRENCH AGENCY TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE FINANCE FOR BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION IN TANZANIA

 Division Manager of the French Development Agency Mr. Jean-Luc Francois (left) and Project Manager of Biodiversity Agriculture and Rural Development of the French Development Agency Ms. Karen Collin de Verdiere speaking to Tanzanian delegation recently in Paris.

 Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu (MP) (right) and the Tanzanian Ambassador to France H.E. Mrs. Begum Taj listening to officials from the French Development Agency recently in Paris.

Discussions going on between the Tanzanian delegation led by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu (MP) and officials from the French Development Agency recently in Paris.  Photos  by Pascal Shelutete.

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French Development Agency is considering providing a reasonably financial support that will help biodiversity protection in the country’s protected areas.

 The Division Manager of AFD Mr. Jean-Luc Francois said this when he met with the Tanzanian delegation in France led by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu (MP) in Paris. 

Jean-Luc said that they have already spent 260 Million Euros in the country in the areas of water and sanitation as well as energy projects and they are now looking in to expanding their financial support in biodiversity conservation. 

He said that promoting conservation is among their main objectives whereby they are supposed to make sure that they protect, restore and manage ecosystems and share the benefits of the protected areas with the local communities around protected areas. 

On his part, Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu (MP) urged AFD to consider supporting the conservation sector and pointed out areas such as the Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem as among the priority areas for support on biodiversity conservation. 

He said financial support from AFD is highly needed now than ever because of the poaching crisis, which is now a global agenda for conservationists, and that strengthening of partnerships between France and Tanzania would also support to encounter the crisis. 

Currently, AFD has provided grant worth 0.8 Million Euros to a FISONG Project in Manyara region which is being implemented by a French NGO (IGF  Foundation) in collaboration with Babati District Game Office; Burunge Wildlife Management Area. The project has an overall goal of Sustaining Wildlife Movements in Northern Tanzania particularly the two corridors of Tarangire-Manyara and Tarangire-Simanjiro.