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EU envoy scoffs at vested interest allegations in signed strategic paper
2008-05-10 11:01:36
By Correspondent Njonanje Samwel
The European Commission head of delegation in the country, Ambassador Tim Clarke, has dismissed claims that the European Union had vested interest in the strategic paper it signed with the government of Tanzania this week.
He however said the EU`s commitment in supporting the country`s development agenda would mostly depend on how the government utilized funds from both government coffers and those from donor countries in providing better life to its people.
Ambassador Clarke made the clarification in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday when responding to questions asked by Tarime legislator and vice-chairman of the opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) Chacha Wangwe.
Wangwe had wanted to know as to where did the EU get opinion that the government is doing enough in fighting corruption and embezzlement of public funds.
``EU has no any vested interests in signing the paper.
What the European regional bloc is doing is to support the country`s development agenda. Tanzania is not the first country to sign such a paper. EU has been doing the same thing in many developing countries across the world,`` said the ambassador.
``The paper we have signed is the new framework of cooperation between Tanzania and the EU. Nothing in terms of interests has been hidden in the paper.
It is all about a new roadmap for the development cooperation between the two sides,`` he clarified.
He added that various reasons had been used by EU as indicators to prove that the government was doing enough in fighting corruption and embezzlement of public funds.
``We have observed the seriousness being shown by the corruption watchdog - the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), - the office of the Director for Criminal Investigations (DCI) and a sense of accountability in many public offices,`` he pointed out.
He added that much time was needed in changing people`s attitudes and behaviour before good achievements could be seen in fighting the vice.
``There is a need to strengthen the functions of the PCCB, the judicial system and enhanced accountability in public offices, but the most important is a change in people`s attitude,`` said Ambassador Clarke.
British High Commissioner Philip Parham said that working under the Joint Assistance Strategy Team (JAST), Tanzania, the EU and other donor countries had established a system of dialogue on frictional issues concerning general budget support (GBS).
``The dialogue would act as a platform for discussions between Tanzania and development partners whenever controversial issues happen,`` said the British envoy.
He added that it was neither for the country`s interests nor for the donor countries` interest to drop or cease their development assistance to the country.
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