US to assist Tanzania overcoming power shortage

"Tanzanian first lady Mrs Salma Kikwete and United States secretary of state Mrs Hilary Clinton"

THE United States has praises Tanzanian government for its strong commitment to deliver to the society and has pledged its full support in addressing the challenges that lie ahead.

The US Secretary of State, Mrs Hillary Clinton, said in Dar es Salaam on Sunday that energy was the key for swift development and pledged her country's commitment to help Tanzania overcome its electricity woes.

"In Tanzania we have found a government and people that understand this and I know how important it is," said the US Secretary of State amidst applause.

Flanked by the Chief Executive Officer for Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Mr Daniel Yohannes and Paul Hinks, the Symbion Power Company's CEO, Ms Clinton said that in the MCC projects Tanzania would become a model not just for Africa but the whole world.

She insisted that the US is taking the opportunity to help Tanzania overcome most of its development obstacles and that it is eager to assist the country deliver reliable and affordable electricity to its citizens.

"That is why MCC is such an important partner in this," she said. Visiting the Symbion Power plant at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam during the second day of her three-day visit, Ms Clinton said many developing countries were not succeeding for lack of energy.

"If you are looking for the single biggest reason why development is not succeeding in Latin America, Africa and Asia it is because of lack of energy and inability to deliver electricity to the people.

"I find I am standing before a large jet engine that will bring electricity to thousands of homes here in Tanzania. It is good because Tanzania is taking off.

"Tanzania is taking off on so many fronts. The most important one being improving access to electricity -- expanding what is possible with reliable and affordable electricity," said Mrs Clinton.

She said that Tanzania is one of four countries in the world and one of only two in Africa that the US has considered eligible as its first partners for growth.

The US Secretary of State, who is on a three African states visit has already been to Zambia with Ethiopia coming next after Tanzania, also talked about her government's assistance to alleviating power shortages in Zanzibar.

She said that the 45 million US dollars project whose funding is part of a $698 million US dollar grant to Tanzania in 2008 under the Millennium Challenge Corporation to fund water, energy and infrastructure, would increase the capacity of the 30-year-old marine cable extending from the Mainland.

Some $206 million US dollars has been allocated for energy projects for the construction and rehabilitation of 24 power substations throughout the Mainland and on Unguja.

The agreement will finance the manufacture and installation of a new 100 megawatt submarine power cable between the Mainland and Zanzibar . But here are some photos from her arrival in Tanzania:

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is entertained upon arrival at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania June 11, 2011.

( I wonder who's the hottie in black tux?.. )