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New approach to development cooperation to be launched today
2007-10-23 09:45:12
By Guardian Reporter
Scandinavian countries will for the first time in the history of development cooperation provide aid to Tanzania through General Budget Support (GBS) as a strategy to combat poverty and strengthen democracy in the country.
A statement issued over the weekend by Tanzania Media Women Association (Tamwa), indicated that the new aid arrangement will be launched jointly by the Swedish envoy to Tanzania Staffan Herrstrom and the Tanzania Control Auditor General Ludovick Otou on today in Dar es Salaam.
``Under budget support aid money is sent directly to the government`s treasury. It`s based on the principle that Tanzanians should make own decisions on the use take charge of their own priorities.
In the past donors used to provide aid to support projects of their own choice and priority,`` read the statement in part
The new approach is expected to facilitate national ownership of development process and democracy.
The project to be known `Lakini` would foster public interest and debate about budgets and government accountability.
In Tanzania, more than forty percent of all public expenditure is financed by foreign sources. The `Lakini` project estimates that with GBS and a certain level of economic growth, Tanzania can phase out donor aid in 20 years.
The Director of the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), Ussu Mallya, will make a presentation on the importance of policy makers and stakeholders to monitor budgets for quality results.
TGNP has been campaigning on gender budgeting to ensure that national resources are directed to improve the lives of the majority poor women, youths and marginalized groups.
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