The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has conducted development cooperation activities in Tanzania since 1975. GIZ, formed by the merger of GTZ, DED and Inwent on 1 January 2011, is responsible for implementation.

Among Tanzania's most serious problems are weak public administration, corruption, and a lack of clearly defined structures within the civil society. The economy, too, is underdeveloped. Insufficient state revenues and a high level of public debt, especially abroad, lead to excessive dependence on donors.

Population growth stands at 2.9 %. Other development constraints are low-level performance, especially in municipal administration, primary health care services and an HIV/AIDS infection rate of 5.7 % among adults. A further problem is that a large proportion of the poor living in rural centres or on the urban fringes have no access to safe drinking water or sewage disposal.

Against this background, GIZ – in accord with the agreements between the Tanzanian and German Governments – currently focuses on the following priority areas:

• Health/HIV
• Water
• Support for local governance processes

For the preparation, implementation and assessment of technical cooperation programmes in these priority areas, GIZ employs concepts and instruments that are geared to sustainability and managing for development results. Water programme measures are cofinanced by the EU.

Early on, the Tanzanian Government cooperated with all development organisations in the country to draw up a Joint Assistance Strategy for Tanzania (JAST), which regulates the manner in which the partners in development work with one another. JAST was approved in November 2006 by the Tanzanian Cabinet. Soon thereafter, the development organisations adopted it in a joint agreement.

The direction of Tanzanian development policy is set out in Vision 2025 and the 2010-2015 poverty reduction strategy, as well as in corresponding Zanzibar documents.

GTZ opened an office in Dar es Salaam in 1982. Following the merger with DED and Inwent on 1 January 2011, this is now a GIZ office.

• Brochure 'Tanzanian - German Technical Cooperation'
  Information on German Development Cooperation in Tansania
  en-tanzanian-german-development-cooperation.pdf, 1.04 MB (englisch)