AfricaPress-Tanzania: IN the fight against Covid-19 and its consequences for the country, the French Embassy has directed €500,000 to epidemic prevention, food security and economic assistance to high risk and vulnerable rural populations.
It is part of its ongoing agro-ecology project, implemented by Swiss Aid and Tanzanian nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT) and Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (Toam), which aims at improving sustainable livelihoods of 6,000 smallholder farmers and adapted to prevent the epidemic among rural populations.
This was revealed in a statement issued yesterday by French Ambassador to Tanzania Frederic Clavier.
“The French Agency for Development (AFD) is working together with the government and various NGOs to assess the possibility of rerouting some available grant funds of about €500,000 towards actions of prevention, training of health workers and supply of medical materials,” reads part of the statement.
As part of Covid-19 – Health in Common Initiative, AFD has made efforts to support the government through soft loans to address short and medium-term health challenges.
This Covid-19 – Health in Common Initiative implemented by AFD, aims at strengthening healthcare systems in Africa as well as African detection and scientific research capacities.
“The action will not only provide an immediate response to short-term health challenges, but also tackle the major economic and social consequences after the crisis.”
Mr Clavier had also mobilised French companies present in the country to join support government efforts by offering sanitary products and medical equipment needed to “fight against the propagation of the epidemic,” the statement further says.
According to the statement, France has decided to mobilise all means at its disposal to help Africa, particularly the most vulnerable countries on the continent to fight effectively against the virus and to resist the economic shock.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on April 8 the immediate deployment of €1.2bn in bilateral resources to combat the spread of Covid-19 in Africa.
In parallel with this bilateral effort, the French President and his government exercise relentless advocacy within European and international institutions to make Africa the priority of the multilateral response.
The statement further says that President Macron has played a major coordinating role in the work to bringing about a moratorium on African debt.
On April 14, France obtained from its partners, within the framework of the Paris Club and G20, a moratorium on the interests of the debt of the 70 poor countries, 40 of which are located in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Out of $32bn in debt service, France obtained the moratorium on bilateral and private creditors for $20bn and will continue to exercise this advocacy, including restructuring or even debt cancellation,” reads the statement.
