UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez.
Today
marks the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP). Founded in 1966, UNDP now works in some 170 countries and
territories to help eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities and
exclusion.
In
Tanzania, UNDP support began in May 1978. Since then, UNDP has
continued to serve as a critical member of the UN team in the country,
which has collectively supported the government in achieving its
development agenda through aligning its support specifically to the
national development priorities. In addition, UNDP has helped strengthen
the government’s capacity to manage and coordinate international
development assistance through the development of strategies, action
plans and an improved aid management system to facilitate national
leadership.
UNDP
in particular has supported the development of a national framework for
reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, as well
as of local capacity to manage forest carbon projects. In addition, UNDP
continues to support the government to integrate environment and energy
issues into national policy, as well as build local and regional
capacity.
Through
a UNDP and Global Environment Facility (GEF) initiative some 8,400
households in the northern region of Mwanza were given solar energy
systems. Following this success, the Government now requires all local
authorities in Tanzania to include solar planning in their budgets, and
has removed all taxes and duties on solar energy appliances.