The East African Community (EAC) secretary general, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu, has lauded Denmark for its keen support to the economic bloc, saying this has enabled the regional body to consolidate regional integration.
He said in Arusha on Monday that Denmark was one of the key EAC development partners, contributing at least half a million dollars each year to the EAC Partnership Fund alone.
He made the remarks after receiving credentials from the Danish Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Bjarne Sorensen, following diplomatic accreditation of his country to EAC.
Mr Mwapachu told the envoy that the community appreciated financial support of the development partners, which had injected about $15 million since the fund inception in 2006.
He said EAC had said since its revival been rated as one of the fastest growing regional economic communities (REECs) and even weathered the recent global economic crisis.
He added that private investment from Denmark dated back to 60 years ago when the famous sugar processing plant in Moshi, TPC Limited, was set up.
The firm that set up the factory was a subsidiary company of Maersk Line, a major shipping company in the world, which at one time carried 40 per cent of bulk goods from the region.
The Danish envoy, on the other hand, said the EAC Customs Union and Common Market, which enters into force on July 1st this year, were remarkable milestones for the region.
"The next step will be to ensure a timely national implementation to the benefit of the more than 130 million East Africans," he said during the brief ceremony at the community head offices.
Mr Sorensen pledged further Danish support to the EAC with 'a special emphasis on the national implementation processes and private sector development through the support of Trade Mark East Africa programme'.
Meanwhile, Mr Mwapachu received credentials from the Turkish ambassador to Tanzania yesterday, raising the number of countries with diplomatic accreditation to EAC to three.
Dr Sander Gurbuz handed over his papers to the EAC Chief and said his country would consolidate economic ties with the region, especially with investments in tourism, manufacturing, construction and textile sectors.
