ZAMBIA and Tanzania have historically enjoyed cordial diplomatic relations. The relationship has seen the two countries develop and own critical transnational transport systems. The two transport systems are the 1,710km Tazama Pipeline and the 1, 860km Tanzania Zambia Railway (TAZARA).
These two jointly owned assets have shaped and scaffolded the relationship between the two countries for a long time.
In this article, my focus is on energy diplomacy between the two countries within the context of the Tazama Pipeline, port facilities and the Zambia Tanzania Electricity Interconnector Project.
According to research, the prominence of cross-border energy pipelines has been well recognised because once put into operation, these pipelines reshape the regional energy landscape and geopolitical situations.
However, research on cross-border pipelines is undertheorised and provides little insight into queries about how to frame the discussion on relevant variables.
To this end, the concept of energy diplomacy is continuously evolving and shaping international oil politics and management of transnational transit pathways for energy.
This is because energy, whether it is fuel or electricity, and its transnational transportation system is intrinsically rooted in very high-level political framework of epic proportion.
To this end, understanding the primary, secondary and tertiary ecosystems around major energy projects and the forces which shape and scaffold the local, regional and international energy space is crucial to navigating a sustainable national energy security landscape.
Although, the topic of energy diplomacy is not known to many people, it has been part and parcel of our existence and gained more prominence in the last 120 years. The advent of the 20th century was the early era of energy diplomacy, which was mainly shaped by transnational oil companies and industry gladiators.
Such diplomacy was dominated by the transnational oil companies which produced and distributed fossil fuel, rather than sovereign governments.
With advancement of civilisation, energy issues exponentially increased in importance. Oil commodities ignited massive public interest and soon became a hot national security issue.
Therefore, Governments increased support to their transnational oil companies and sooner than later, oil politics were birthed at national, regional and global pedestal to shape the control of “black gold” as oil is often called.
Energy diplomacy extends to corridors which are extensively used for transportation of energy. These corridors are servitude because they pass through other countries, international waters and water bodies controlled by other countries.
If a country with arbitrage within this context cuts the relations off and you have no alternative, national security could be at stake. This is why some projects are developed jointly with other countries to promote joint ownership and thus entrench prospects of harmonious co-existence and regional integration.
To this end, the bigger picture to the energy road shows regarding a new fuel pipeline and an electricity interconnector between Zambia and Tanzania transcend energy price reduction possibilities in that they aim to promote regional integration and security.
These two countries have owned two critical transport systems for many years. During this co-ownership and co-management of the two assets fostered by shared values and culture, insights into how the partnership has been have been gained. Experience has also been gained.
Based on this shared experience of co-owning and managing transnational assets, the two countries will not face diplomatic hurdles to build and commission the two major energy infrastructure projects which have been listed jhere:
- The new Tazama multipurpose fuel pipeline
- The electricity interconnector transmission line
These two projects once commissioned will shift energy diplomacy to a high level. The electricity interconnector will link two major regional electricity markets, East Africa and Southern Africa.
This will be a major milestone in the African Union as part of its agenda is to link Africa’s five electricity regional markets.
.Dr. Johnstone Chikwanda is an energy rxpert, consultant, author, and a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Zambia. Email: j_chikwanda@yahoo.com
