British High Commission, Tanzania, Welcomes Oil and Gas Mission from Scotland

• Education and training opportunities in Mozambique and Tanzania

With some of the largest offshore gas fields in the world, no local supply chain and an immediate and significant demand for skilled workers, East Africa can benefit from the expertise of the UK’s oil and gas sector.

Twelve UK organisations – from business and academia – with an interest in the oil and gas sector, headed to Mozambique on 18 March and arrive in Tanzania on 24th and partnerships in these exciting new pioneering markets.

Led by Scottish Development International (SDI) and supported by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and Aberdeen City Council, the mission follows a visit last year to Aberdeen by President Kikwete who saw UK expertise in the oil and gas sector at first hand.

Participating in the mission will be the University of Aberdeen, who in partnership with the University of Dar es Salaam have been awarded €2 million by the European Union to help develop higher education in Tanzania and create a sustainable oil and gas sector in the East African country.

The money will be used to fund a three-year project that will promote learning, research and knowledge-sharing between the Universities in conjunction with the Aberdeen Institute of Energy (AIE), and academics and students at UDSM. Stakeholders from the public and private sector will also benefit from this arrangement.

Operators in Tanzania are expected to invest billions in an onshore Liquified Natural Gas plant that will provide jobs and export earnings. This means that as well as capacity building, operators will substantially invest in education and training - around 25,000 people will require training at a technical and vocational level as well as higher education in the East African region.

The global reputation of the UK’s Oil & Gas education and training providers means the UK is well placed to support Tanzania to develop its local capacity and skills to manage its own resources. As such, five of the 12 organisations on the mission are education and training companies from the university, college and private sector.

March to explore opportunities The mission also complements the newly announced UK investment of £25 million into the joint UK and German government ‘Skills for Oil and Gas Africa’ (SOGA) initiative, which is also supported by BG Group, and aims to upskill local workers to give them an opportunity to benefit from jobs in and around the industry in Tanzania and the region.

The British High Commissioner to Tanzania, HE Dianna Melrose, said: “"The UK has a global reputation for Oil & Gas skills development. UK training providers can help ensure Tanzanians benefit from new work opportunities created by gas development."

From left Richard Boulter (DFID), Ms Dianna Melrose-British High Commissioner, Mr.Bikash Dawahoo-Prosperity Officer and Representative from TCCIA.