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Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark pays a visit to MS TCDC

Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark and His Royal Highness the Prince Consort will visit MS TCDC on Thursday, November 6, 2008. The royal couple is among others going to the centre to observe its courses in Swahili and 'Good Local Governance'.

In 2007, around 1,200 participants went home from MS TCDC a lot wiser on issues which have provided them with the capacity and tools to play an active part in democratisation processes in their respective countries.

By Pernille Bærendtsen, Information Officer for MS Tanzania

16. oktober 2008

When the course participants in 'Good Local Governance' on Thursday, November 6th are joined in the ‘Nyerere class room’ at MS TCDC, they are up for some unusual company. In connection with the royal couple’s upcoming official visit to Tanzania, the royal couple has asked to visit MS TCDC and to observe the training.

The principal at MS TCDC, Prudence Kaijage, is pleased to show the royal couple the Tanzanian training centre which has been a cornerstone in MS’ development support to Africa for almost four decades:

'MS TDCD is an excellent example of continuous Danish engagement in Africa. The training at MS TCDC encourages active participation – but also responsibility – for the development of a strong civil society - and it is indeed the way forward to fight poverty,' says Prudence Kaijage.

When MS TCDC was founded 38 years ago (as the Danish Volunteer Training Centre), the purpose was solely to educate Danish development workers in development issues and to teach them Swahili. Danish development workers are still taught in MS TCDC, but now course participants from Africa dominate the statistics.

'TCDC plays a key role in the strengthening of the civil society, especially in eastern and southern Africa. We give organisations the tools to strengthen their own capacity and internal management, and this gives them the strength to demand good governance from their own politicians. A strong civil society is essential for a strong democracy,' says Prudence Kaijage.

Facts about the royal visit to Tanzania
When Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark and His Royal Highness the Prince arrive in Dar es Salaam on Monday November 3^rd, it is the first time in 38 years that the Danish royal family will have visited the country. The last time was back in 1970 when Her Majesty the Queen Ingrid and King Frederik of Denmark made an official visit to Tanzania, as guests of the then President Julius K. Nyerere.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the principal consideration for Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik’s visit is to observe Danish development support, but they are also accompanied by a Danish business delegation. The royal couple is also planning to spend an additional few days in Tanzania when the official program is over.
Tanzania has remained Denmark's largest development partner for over 40 years, and is one of the countries which the Danish government has supported the longest. It is now the country that receives most of the Danish development assistance.
MS has worked in Tanzania since 1963. This began with training in MS TCDC, but now also includes its country program, MS Tanzania, which is based in Dar es Salaam and cooperates with some 25 local organisations on three themes: local democracy, land rights and youth.
The preliminary programme for the royal visit:
On November 3rd to 4th the royal couple will be in Dar es Salaam for an official reception by the Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. On November 5th the royal couple goes to Zanzibar to meet the Zanzibar President, Dr. Amani Abeid Karume, and to see various projects supported by Danida.
On Thursday, November 6th the royal couple flies to northern Tanzania, where they will visit MS TCDC in the morning. They are expected to hold the closing press conference in the Ngorongoro Crater.
Read more about MS TCDC here: www.mstcdc.or.tz