Denmark Marks Constitution Day With Support Increase

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Florence Mugarula

31 May 2011

interview

On June 5, Denmark celebrates its Constitution Day, which marks the 162nd anniversary of the Danish Constitution. However, it has been established that business, culture and development cooperation continue to strengthen ties between Denmark and Tanzania.

Mr Bjarne Sorensen said that the relationship between the two countries is based on a great focus on business, trade, investment, sports and culture.

Question: What is the current diplomatic relationship between Denmark and Tanzania?

Answer: The relationship between Denmark and Tanzania is one of Denmark’s longest lasting friendships in Africa. This relationship has been dominated by development assistance, but it is now slowly changing and becoming more diverse, where business, trade and investment as well as sports and culture are important elements.

Q: What has been the support of Denmark to Tanzania in gearing-up wananchi’s development programmes?

A: Denmark has through Danish International Development Assistance (Danida) provided development assistance to Tanzania since 1962. Tanzania remains the country in the world that receives most development assistance from Denmark. And, there is hardly any sector where Danida has not been active.

In 2010 Danish assistance reached more than $100million on a grant basis. The sectors presently receiving the most support are health, roads and development of the private sector, but support to environment, good governance and Tanzania’s budget is also substantial.

Some good results have been achieved especially in the social sectors, where progress towards the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, such as primary education, child mortality, gender equality, and access to improved sanitation can be seen.However, progress in reducing poverty and improving maternal health has been limited and thus large challenges lie ahead.

Q: Denmark is one of donor countries that support Tanzanian budget and other development projects; do you see any sign for Tanzania to one day sets its independent budget?

A: Denmark has given development assistance to Tanzania since 1962 and it is the country that receives most assistance from Denmark.

Tanzania is indeed rich in both human and natural resources, and I am confident that the country has the potential to free itself from the dependency on development assistance. I have noted that the Honourable President Kikwete has also expressed this, and we certainly welcome that. The prime goal for Denmark’s development cooperation with Tanzania is to make us redundant.

That being said, I also believe that the basics for exploiting the potential resources in the country are not yet in place. Therefore, development assistance, through agencies like Danida, remains highly relevant in the short term for Tanzanian to tap into these resources and to enhance the economic and social development.

Along these lines Danida supports the Tanzanian government in her efforts to improve productivity, commercialise agriculture and create a business environment that is conducive for private sector-led growth and investment. More should also be done to enhance domestic revenue collection and for that purpose, support is needed to tax reforms in Tanzania both to make tax collection more effective and to broaden the tax base and reduce undue exemptions.

Q: Tanzania is among African countries that are facing economic difficulties, what do you think the government should do to solve the problem?

A: Tanzania has shown a robust and high economic growth during the past years – something more advanced economies envy. To me, however, the missing link between economic growth and poverty reduction is jobs.

Jobs are crucial to give people the possibility of lifting themselves out of poverty. Tanzania needs reforms and investments within the agricultural sector, within infrastructure, energy, education and the business sector.

Denmark stands ready, together with other development partners, to support Tanzania in these efforts.â-¨

Q: What is your assessment on the government efforts to fight poverty basing on National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA)

A: I am pleased that Tanzania has an ambitious strategy to enhance growth and reduce poverty. MKUKUTA is an important tool to address poverty and it sets sector’s specific goals, accompanied by performance indicators in one document.

MKUKUTA 1 did show examples of success, in education with a rise of enrolment rates and fall in child mortality rates. Also the high levels of growth for the country may partly be attributed to MKUKUTA.

Still, sustainable poverty reduction has not been achieved. I am therefore looking forward to the implementation of MKUKUTA II where the lessons learned are incorporated, and there is more emphasis on creating economic growth through the private sector.

Q: What are your comments on the democratic situation in the country and the performance of opposition political parties in the country?

A: First of all I would like to commend Tanzania for the peaceful elections last year. No doubt that this was the best planned and executed elections that Tanzania has ever seen, and they showed me that Tanzania is a multiparty democracy where people have a real choice. Being able to participate peacefully in politics and exercise opinions is vital in a healthy democracy and so any real democracy will have opposition parties.

Freedom of the press is another essential element in a democracy. I am very pleased to see an increased freedom of the press and I hope this will continue.

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