Russian-Tanzanian scientific and educational expedition

From March 9 to March 16, within the framework of the project “Russian-Tanzanian scientific and educational expedition,” the Russian delegation visited Tanzania.

The delegation included representatives of two universities of RAFU: S.M. Kirov St. Petersburg State Linguistic University, headed by the Vice-Rector for Scientific and International Activities Alexander Dobrovolsky, and SPbPU, represented by the head of the RAFU Project Office, Maxim Zalyvsky. In addition, the delegation included representatives of PetrSU, VGLTU, and the St. Petersburg Charitable Public Foundation for the Development of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden - the coordinator of the project supported by the Presidential Grants Fund.

The Russian Cultural Center in Dar es Salaam hosted a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the United Republic of Tanzania, A.L. Avetisyan, and the Head of the Russian House in Tanzania, A.A. Evstigneev. A.L. Avetisyan noted the importance and relevance of the Russian-Tanzanian cooperation and voiced promising topics of cooperation, among which are forestry, agriculture, and wildlife conservation. A.A. Evstigneev emphasized that the Russian House in Tanzania is ready to assist in holding joint events, online courses, and academic mobility programs.

At the Research Institute of Tanzania and Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, the participants discussed promising areas of cooperation and opportunities for academic exchanges. Tanzanian students and teachers were invited to participate in the IV RAFU Summer Multidisciplinary University.

In the capital of Dodoma, the Russian delegation was received by the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania, Ms. Pindi Chana. Ms. Chana is a 1994 graduate of the Patrice Lumumba Russian University of Natural Resources and Tourism. The participants discussed technological solutions to help preserve forests.

Next, the participants visited the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS), the project partner from the Tanzanian side. Dos Santos Silayo, Head of TFS, spoke about the main activities of the organization and discussed upcoming joint activities, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and the opening of Forest Science and Education Competence Centers in Russia and Tanzania.

Participants also visited the Forestry Education Institute and the Forest Industries Institute in Arusha, as well as the African Wildlife Management College in Mweka. Representatives of the college expressed keen interest in organizing online Russian courses for students.

“Tanzania's forests, which cover 48.1 million hectares, or 55% of the country's total land area, are an integral part of the environment, the economy, and local communities. However, pressure on these vital resources is increasing rapidly, due in part to growing demand for forest products, expanding agricultural activities, and increasing human settlement. New partnerships with Russia will help meet these challenges. We are ready to support the ministry's project at every stage of its implementation.” - Pindi Chana, Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism