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Tanzania, Norway partnership to address environmental challenges
2008-04-23 09:26:28
By Lusekelo Philemon
Tanzania and Norway have signed a letter of intent for the establishment of a partnership between the two countries to meet the challenges of climate change.
Minister of State, Vice President Office, Environment Dr Batilda Burian signed the letter on behalf of tanzania, while her Norwegian counterpart, Erik Solheim signed on behalf of his country.
In that partnership entered on Monday, Norwegian government has set aside about USD100m for the implementation of the project in Tanzania.
The partnership would focus on developing pilot programmes to reduce deforestation, developing technologies for measuring carbon sequestration, as well as promoting research and capacity building programmes related to climate change challenges.
The partnership also meant to promote public private partnerships to enhance investments in sustainable management of forestry resources.
Speaking soon after the signing of the partnership at the State House, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said the idea of forging the partnership came as a result of Bali conference of the Parties (COP) for the Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC), December last year.
He said the conference urged countries to take up pilot activities and develop partnerships for research, technology transfer and capacity building to promote the Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Land Degradation (REDD) agenda.
The international panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that about 20 per cent of all global emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere come from the industries.
Premier Stoltenberg said the main idea of the forest for Climate partnership is meant to assist Tanzania in preparing itself to be able to tap into a future market of carbon value for reduced deforestation.
In his vote of thanks, President Jakaya Kikwete thanked the commitment shown by the Norwegian government by taking Tanzania at its top priority.
He said the project would make Tanzania easily adapt and be able to contain the impact of climate change.
He said Tanzania in recent years had been experiencing changes in its climate that had accelerated into global warming.
He added that the partnership would be used as a cornerstone to improve the country\'s state of environment.
``Tanzania is dedicated to conserve its natural forests and wildlife,`` he said, pledging that his government would continue working with the Norwegian government for the mutual betterment of the two.
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