Within the frameworks for budgetary support, the Swedish and Tanzanian governments have together agreed to continually examine the progress of the implementation of the strategy for reducing poverty. Particular focus has been placed on how financial management has improved and on the implementation of decentralization reform. The target is to counteract corruption and to ensure that the contributions continue to reach the country’s poor. In addition to budgetary support, we are also extending our direct co-operation within the fields of energy, education and research, the private sector and working towards good governance.
Energy
In Tanzania’s rural areas, the lack of energy is posing a major challenge to the country’s future development. Many poor households lack basic electricity supplies and unreliable electricity networks are limiting companies’ progress. The country’s weak energy sector is thereby restricting local businesses’ competitiveness.
Sweden is an active partner within the energy sector. Our contributions have improved the Tanzanian electricity company’s production, distribution and administrative ability and given more people in rural areas access to electricity.
Education and learning
Accessibility to education and learning for children and adults is a cornerstone in building a functioning democracy. The education in Tanzania was not previous a privilege that the country's poor boys and girls could enjoy. However, for the past ten years has a remarkable change been made.
Through budget support, project aid and program support to the education sector, Sweden has participated in restructuring the education system. The primary education is today free and more children are attending school, from just under 60 percent in 2000 to just over 95 percent in 2010. The difference between boys and girls is almost evened. Between 2003 and 2010, more than 50,000 new primary school teachers have been hired. The number of schools for further education after comprehensive school has quadrupled since 2000. Even the enrollment of students in higher education has increased significantly, though the proportion of women is significantly lower. Meanwhile, a quarter of the adults are illiterate, with clear differences between men and women, where 80 percent of the women are literate compared to only 60 percent of the women.
This rapid expansion has brought major challenges. Resources as teachers and money for teaching and learning materials have not correspondingly increased. More efforts are needed to ensure education as a crucial factor for economic growth, human development and learning and for strengthening democracy and human rights. The main issue in education in Tanzania today is to improve the quality of teaching and to create an efficient and transparent education, with focus on relevant skills and meaningful learning for girls and boys, women and men.
The Tanzanian government’s plans for the education sector.
Trade-related development in the private sector
The economic growth in Tanzania is from a global perspective high, but despite that, the income-related poverty has only declined marginally during the 2000s. There is a need for additional measures to ease the establishment and activity of small and bigger entrepreneurs, both domestic and international.
The Swedish support for trade-related development in the private sector has focused on supporting the government's business climate- and trade reform, increasing access to financial services, increasing capacity of the private sector to engage in lobbying against the government, important value chains and trade procedures.
Good governance
From a regional perspective, Tanzania has developed well in regards to democratization, freedom of the press and respect for human rights. The challenges are mainly in continuing the fight against corruption and improving the situation in Zanzibar, where democracy and respect for human rights are far worse than on the mainland. Tanzania must also continue to improve its systems for public financial management and to decentralize decision making and budgetary funds to regions and municipalities. Sweden’s support goes to both government players and to non-governmental organizations that work within areas related to these challenges, including organizations that work for gender equality and freedom of the media.
Research and Universities
Sida supports partners so that they better plan, produce and use research for development and economic growth. Sida’s intention is that Tanzania should be able to conduct their own research of international standard in areas that they have prioritised.
Each country has its own unique premises for development and economic growth thus it is central that the cooperation partner is able to generate and maintain expertise and knowledge in key areas.
Example of what Sida support in bilateral cooperation:
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Master- and PhD education in cooperation with Swedish and international partners
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Research councils
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Administrative reforms of universities
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Investments in infrastructure for example ICT, libraries and laboratories
Link to The Unit for Research Cooperations activities in Tanzania.
Book tips
- Gender and Economic Growth in Tanzania: Creating Opportunities for Women / Amanda Ellis, Mark Blackden, and Jozefina Cutura
- Tanzania: The Land and Its People / John Ndembwike
- Performing the Nation: Swahili Music and Cultural Politics in Tanzania / Kelly Askew
