One UN Joint Programme: Capacity Strengthening for Development Management

National context

The United Republic of Tanzania has in recent years achieved impressive economic performance and improvement of the overall economic fundamentals, including high foreign reserves and a relatively stable exchange rate. By 2004 the real Gross Domestic Product growth reached 6.7% and is estimated to grow by 7% annually by 2010. This impressive economic growth has been driven mainly by improved performance of the agriculture, wholesale and retail trade, restaurant and tourism as well as mining and manufacturing sectors. However, challenges of reducing poverty and sustaining the economic growth trend remain. The response of the Government of Tanzania to meet these development challenges of poverty reduction and continued growth are articulated in the MKUKUTA, which outlines priority interventions and targets.
 
Capacity development is recognized by the Government as one of the central objectives of its development agenda. It has acknowledged the long-term nature of the undertaking and has committed to effective leadership throughout the process as well as to a continuous reassessment of capacity needs and ways of addressing them.

The Government’s strategies towards capacity development include implementing ongoing sector reforms and programmes, as well as mainstreaming these, where applicable, into the structures and systems of Ministries and District Authorities, Regions and Local Government Authorities.  The reforms include: the Public Service Reform Programme; the Public Financial Management Reform Programme; the Legal Sector Reform Programme; the Local Government Reform Programme; and the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan. 

The Government, together with Development Partners, has developed a comprehensive concept paper on “The Strategy for Capacity Development in Tanzania”. The paper highlights constraints to capacity development, reviewing what has and has not worked in the Tanzanian context, and also identifies current opportunities. Furthermore, the Government is committed to a wide range of measures aimed at further developing its capacity within the framework of the Joint Assistance Strategy − a strategy for managing development assistance between the Government and development partners.

The Government, however, has limited capacity to implement these strategies and measures within the desired and optimal timeframe. As a result, these capacity needs are still largely unfulfilled.

The Joint Programme on Capacity Strengthening for Development Management seeks to enhance national ownership and government leadership of the development agenda through capacity development in the areas of:
     (i)  Knowledge generation, analysis, and use
     (ii) Planning, budgeting, and reporting, and
     (iii) Monitoring, evaluation and communication

With the support of the UN Joint Programme, the Government is expected to:
     •    improve its capacity to deliver high-quality, timely and effective public services, in particular at the level of Local Government Authorities under the guidance of the Central Government in line with the national Decentralization by Devolution policy
     •    enhance its ability to meaningfully engage in dialogue within the Government as well as with non-state and Development Partners
     •    address the capacity needs of non-state actors to actively and effectively participate in the development process by providing an enabling policy and institutional environment, appropriate public services, training and advisory support and by sharing relevant information with them.

Objectives and outcomes

Overall, capacity strengthening support for Tanzania is expected to contribute to the achievement of the goals and objectives of MKUKUTA and the MDGs. Specifically, the programme will contribute to achieving the following MKUKUTA goals:
     •    By 2010, there will be increased access to sustainable income opportunities, productive employment and food security in the rural and urban areas.
     •    By 2010, democratic structures and systems of good governance as well as the rule of law and the application of human rights, with a particular focus on the poor and vulnerable groups, are strengthened.