Tanzania: World Bank Group Launches New Framework for Inclusive, Private Sector-Led, and Resilient Growth in Tanzania

Tanzania: World Bank Group Launches New Framework for Inclusive, Private Sector-Led, and Resilient Growth in Tanzania

Washington — The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors has endorsed the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Tanzania to support the country in consolidating its status as a middle-income country, achieving a high level of human development, and contributing to the World Bank Group’s (WBG) mission to end extreme poverty and boost prosperity on a livable planet.

The new strategy maximizes the impact of the One-WBG approach, coordinating and leveraging the strengths of the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) in the country over the period FY2025 to FY2029.

The new CPF prioritizes several key areas. First, it aims to support the country’s human development agenda. This includes providing transformative support in education, healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, and shock-responsive social protection programs, building upon the strong momentum already established by the Tanzanian government.

Secondly, the CPF will bolster the government’s goal of fostering a better environment for private sector-led growth. This will involve deepening support for reforms that strengthen the business climate, investing in infrastructure and connectivity to facilitate economic activity, and modernizing Tanzania’s productive sectors. Additionally, the CPF aims to leverage the country’s strategic geographic location to promote inclusive growth both domestically and throughout the sub-region.

Finally, the CPF will support Tanzania’s crucial and multi-prong resilience agenda, focusing on climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, alongside efforts to strengthen the country’s economic resilience. Progress toward these objectives is underpinned by two cross-cutting priorities: increased empowerment of women and youth and improved government effectiveness with more efficient, transparent, and accountable institutions.

“We have seen tremendous progress with recent policy changes, such as increasing access to education for all girls coupled with broader reforms such as vocational training,” said Nathan Belete, World Bank Country Director. “Girls and boys now have multiple pathways to complete their secondary education and the Fee-free Basic Education Policy has had an incredible impact, opening doors for 4.5 million new students. With such renewed commitment to human development and inclusion by the government, the outlook for inclusive growth and poverty reduction is favorable.”

The CPF is informed by extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders as well as a country opinion survey and is aligned with the priorities identified in Tanzania’s Third Five-Year Development Plan and Zanzibar’s Five-Year Development Plan. The CPF’s focus on private sector-led growth is consistent with IFC’s Creating Markets Strategy which aims to support conditions for private enterprises to efficiently contribute to inclusive development.

Private sector participation is critical to any economy’s growth and development. To address Tanzania’s development goals, including poverty reduction and job creation, the country has an opportunity to further leverage private sector-driven economic growth. IFC will continue to work closely with our public and private sector partners, as well as with our colleagues across the World Bank Group, to unlock the conditions needed to further support inclusive finance, agribusiness, manufacturing, and sustainable infrastructure through investments, advisory and upstream support,” said Mary Porter Peschka, IFC’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa.

“In recent years, MIGA has seen a significant increase in investor interest in Tanzania, thanks to reforms undertaken by the government,” said Șebnem Erol Madan, Director of Economics and Sustainability at MIGA. “As part of the new CPF, MIGA will continue to support financial inclusion and climate finance initiatives and will leverage the new World Bank Group guarantee platform to support the country in attracting and mobilizing private capital in other sectors, including renewable power and digital.”

The CPF builds on a well-performing WBG portfolio in the country. Through the CPF 2018-2022, the World Bank provided over $9 billion dollars of financing that delivered important improvements for Tanzanians, such as:

  • Increased access to safe water for nearly 4.7 million people which helped reduce the disease burden and improved school attendance and completion rates, particularly for girls.
  • Improved secondary education benefiting 2.7 million students, especially girls, by providing better-equipped secondary schools. Additionally, technical and vocational education enrollment tripled and 64% of female graduates found employment.
  • Expanded access to electricity for 7.9 million people in rural areas, which enhanced their livelihoods, health, and learning opportunities.

IFC’s investment portfolio in Tanzania stands at over $400 million with investments focused in key sectors including financial institutions, agribusiness, and real estate. The IFC advisory portfolio reached $11 million in 2024. Over the last few months, MIGA has issued its first political risk guarantees in a decade in Tanzania, with guarantees in the mobile money and banking sectors. As a result, MIGA now has a portfolio of $151 million in the country and a strong pipeline in the renewable energy and digital sectors.

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania Confirms Second Marburg Outbreak After WHO Chief Visit
Tanzania Foreign Investment News
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Tanzania Confirms Second Marburg Outbreak After WHO Chief Visit

Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The confirmation follows days of speculation about a possible outbreak in the region, after the WHO reported a number of deaths suspected to be linked to the highly infectious disease.

While Tanzania’s Ministry of Health declared last week that all suspected cases had tested negative for Marburg, the WHO called for additional testing at international reference laboratories.

“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”Amelia Clemence, public health researcher

Subsequent laboratory tests conducted at Kagera’s Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one positive case, while 25 other suspected cases tested negative, the president told a press conference in Dodoma, in the east of the country today (Monday).

“The epicentre has now shifted to Biharamulo district of Kagera,” she told the press conference, distinguishing this outbreak from the previous one centred in Bukoba district.

Tedros said the WHO would release US$3 million from its emergencies contingency fund to support efforts to contain the outbreak.

Health authorities stepped up surveillance and deployed emergency response teams after the WHO raised the alarm about nine suspected cases in the region, including eight deaths.

The suspected cases displayed symptoms consistent with Marburg infection, including headache, high fever, diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic complications, according to the WHO’s alert to member countries on 14 January. The organisation noted a case fatality rate of 89 per cent among the suspected cases.

“We appreciate the swift attention accorded by the WHO,” Hassan said.

She said her administration immediately investigated the WHO’s alert.

“The government took several measures, including the investigation of suspected individuals and the deployment of emergency response teams,” she added.

Cross-border transmission

The emergence of this case in a region that experienced Tanzania’s first-ever Marburg outbreak in March 2023 has raised concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly following Rwanda’s recent outbreak that infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared over in December 2024.

The situation is particularly critical given Kagera’s position as a transport hub connecting four East African nations.

Amelia Clemence, a public health researcher working in the region, says constant vigilance is required.

“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”

The Kagera region’s ecosystem, home to fruit bats that serve as natural reservoirs for the Marburg virus, adds another layer of complexity to disease surveillance efforts.

The virus, closely related to Ebola, spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.

Transparency urged

Elizabeth Sanga, shadow minister of health for Tanzania’s ACT Wazalendo opposition party, says greater transparency would help guide public health measures.

“This could have helped to guide those who are traveling to the affected region to be more vigilant and prevent the risk of further spread,” she said.

WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says early notification of investigation outcomes is important.

“We stand ready to support the government in its efforts to investigate and ensure that measures are in place for an effective and rapid response,” she said, noting that existing national capacities built from previous health emergencies could be quickly mobilised.

The situation coincides with leadership changes in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with both the chief medical officer and permanent secretary being replaced.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.

Source: allafrica.com

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