Tanzania Setting the country a new political path

Tanzania is one of the most politically stable and peaceful countries in East Africa. It serves as a model for others in the region as far as religious freedom and ethnic tolerance are concerned. After years of autocratisation, the country is now moving towards more democracy and is opening up internationally and socially. As a biodiversity hotspot, Tanzania is of global importance for nature and biodiversity conservation.

View of Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the strongest economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic led to an enormous loss of revenue in the tourism sector and inflation is increasing because of Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine, Tanzania’s economy is proving resilient.

The government is development oriented and committed to reducing corruption, increasing public revenue and improving health care and water supply. Initial successes can be seen, but so far it has not proved possible to achieve any tangible or sustained reduction in poverty. One reason for this is very high population growth. Over the last ten years, the country’s population has increased by almost 40 per cent and the average age is 18 years.

On the current Human Development Index (HDI) Tanzania ranks 167th out of 193 countries.

Tanzania and Germany enjoy good and amicable relations. For example, numerous partnerships exist between towns and cities, schools and church communities in the two countries.

German development cooperation with Tanzania

Tanzanian Finance Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba and Parliamentary State Secretary at the BMZ, Dr Bärbel Kofler, at the German-Tanzanian intergovernmental negotiations at the BMZ in Berlin on 16 November 2022.

Tanzania and Germany have been engaged in development cooperation for many decades. At government negotiations in November 2022, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) made a new commitment of 87 million euros to Tanzania. This comprises 59 million euros in Financial Cooperation funding and 28 million euros in Technical Cooperation funding.

The core areas for this cooperation are:

Conserving nature and natural resources, protecting life on Earth
Areas of intervention: Biodiversity, water
Peaceful and inclusive societies
Area of intervention: Good governance
Health, social protection and population policy
Areas of intervention: Social protection, population policy; sexual and reproductive health and rights

The BMZ is putting a feminist development policy imprint on all these areas. In addition to the bilateral cooperation, Tanzania also benefits from transnational projects, for instance in the areas of anti-poaching, marine conservation, integrated water resource management, fighting illegal financial flows and employment promotion.

Cooperation with Zanzibar

At the government negotiations in 2021, it was agreed that development cooperation with Zanzibar would be resumed. This semi-autonomous territory is characterised by political tensions, struggles for independence, sluggish economic development and enormous poverty.

Cooperation with Zanzibar was put on hold following undemocratic elections in 2015. In October 2020, Hussein Ali Mwinyi was elected as Zanzibar’s president. He formed a government of national unity together with Zanzibar's strongest opposition party and is pursuing a policy of balance and conciliation.

The German development ministry is making a contribution to stability and peace on the island group by financing climate-smart water supply and promoting people’s participation.

Still from the BMZ video "Biodiversity in Tanzania"

Conserving biodiversity in Tanzania is of great significance for preserving global biological diversity. However, population growth is leading to increased use of natural resources. In addition, Tanzania is one of the countries that are most affected by the impacts of climate change. Germany is assisting its partner country in its efforts to conserve biodiversity and adapt water supply strategies to the impacts of climate change.

In the field of good financial governance, Germany is contributing towards strengthening Tanzania’s system of public finances. A new project under Technical Cooperation is intended to facilitate access to justice for women and girls, thus helping to prevent gender-based violence.

A mother has her child medically examined

Tanzania’s planned introduction of a universal health insurance is a big step towards giving all people access to health care. Germany is supporting this process. In addition to that, Germany is focusing its engagement on maternal and child health and on reproductive self-determination, in particular for young people.