Tanzania: Despite Mixed Assessments of Living Conditions, Tanzanians Say Country Is On the Right Path

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

In substantial numbers, citizens still experience shortages of basic life necessities.

Key findings

  • Tanzanians offer mixed assessments of their personal living conditions: 38% describe them as “fairly bad” or “very bad,” while a majority say they are good (31%) or “neither good nor bad” (31%). o Substantial proportions of the population went without basic life necessities at least once during the previous year, including a cash income (84%), sufficient clean water (48%), medical care or medicines (47%), and enough food (38%).
  • Citizens are evenly divided in their evaluations of the country’s economic condition: 39% describe it as good, while 38% say it is bad. o More than four in 10 citizens (43%) are optimistic that the country’s economic condition will improve in the next 12 months.
  • Seven in 10 citizens (70%) say the country is going “in the right direction.
  • The delivery of public services such as health, water, infrastructure/roads, electricity, and education outrank economic issues as citizens’ top priorities requiring government attention.
  • Two-thirds (67%) of citizens give the government a passing grade on economic management, but fewer approve of the government’s performance on creating jobs (45%), reducing gaps between rich and poor (42%), and keeping prices stable (42%).

The Tanzanian economy has shown signs of post-pandemic recovery as economic growth reached 4.7% in 2022 and 5.1% in 2023, thanks in part to substantial investments in transportation infrastructure, energy, water, health, education, and private-sector development (URT, 2024). While the country’s economic growth contributes to poverty reduction through job creation (Kinyondo & Pelizzo, 2018), poverty declines more slowly than the economy grows. For instance, Tanzania has recorded an impressive economic growth rate of more than 6% on average since 2000, but the decline in the poverty rate has been less rapid, from 34.4% in 2007 to 28.2% in 2011/2012 and to 26.4% in 2017/2018 (UNDP, 2015; World Bank, 2019).Greater poverty reduction would require even faster economic growth.

How has Tanzania’s economic growth translated to the daily lives of ordinary Tanzanians?

A new Afrobarometer survey finds that Tanzanians offer mixed assessments of their personal living conditions and their country’s economy despite some improvement on both counts compared to 2022. In substantial numbers, citizens still experience shortages of basic life necessities.

Nevertheless, most Tanzanians believe the country is moving “in the right direction.” A large majority approve of the government’s performance in handling the economy, though fewer say the same about its efforts to create jobs, reduce inequality, and control inflation.

Lucas Katera Lucas Katera is the national investigator for Tanzania.

Mgeni Msafiri Mgeni Msafiri is a researcher for REPOA, the Afrobarometer national partner in Tanzania.

Source: allafrica.com

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Somalia: Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Arrives in Kampala for AU Summit

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In: Tanzania Foreign Investment News

Kampala — Ahmed MoFiqi, Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, touched down in Kampala, Uganda, on Monday to join leaders and delegates from across Africa for the African Union (AU) Summit.

The summit’s agenda is centered on the Post-Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), with a focus on enhancing agricultural productivity, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable development throughout the continent.

The three-day summit, which commenced today, is a critical platform for African nations to reassess and recalibrate their agricultural strategies in light of recent challenges such as climate change, conflict, and economic instability. Discussions will include policy reforms, investment in agricultural innovation, and the implementation of sustainable farming practices.

MoFiqi’s participation underscores Somalia’s commitment to regional cooperation in addressing some of the most pressing issues affecting the Horn of Africa. Somalia, still recovering from years of conflict and facing ongoing security threats, views the summit as an opportunity to gain support and share insights on how to stabilize and grow its agricultural sector, which remains vital for the country’s economic recovery and food security.

The CAADP, initially launched in 2003, aims at increasing agriculture-led growth by at least 6% per annum, reducing food insecurity, and improving sustainable management of land and water resources. The Post-Malabo agenda, named after the Malabo Declaration of 2014 where African leaders committed to these goals, seeks to intensify efforts towards these targets by 2025.

Key topics on the table include the integration of technology in farming, cross-border trade facilitation for agricultural products, and strategies to combat the effects of climate variability on agriculture. The summit also provides a venue for member states to explore partnerships with international organizations and private sectors for funding and technical support.

As the summit progresses, there will be a series of bilateral meetings, roundtables, and workshops where ministers and experts will delve deeper into specific areas of agriculture, from seed technology to market access for smallholder farmers.

MoFiqi is expected to engage in dialogues that could lead to new collaborations or enhancements in existing cooperation frameworks, particularly with neighboring countries and those sharing similar agricultural challenges. His attendance is also a gesture of Somalia’s reintegration into regional politics and economics, signaling a step towards normalization after years of isolation due to internal strife.

The outcomes of this summit could have far-reaching implications not only for Somalia but for the broader African region, aiming to foster a future where agriculture drives economic growth, ensures food sovereignty, and adapts to the changing global environment.

Source: allafrica.com

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