Sweden gives $36m to UN Tanzania

Swedish ambassador to Tanzania Katarina Rangnitt and UN resident coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez display documents after signing an agreement in Dar es Salaam on Monday. The agreement will see Sweden donate $36 million (about Sh80.4 billion) to the UN in Tanzania. PHOTO | THE CITIZEN CORRESPONDENT

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The agreement was signed by Swedish ambassador to Tanzania Katarina Rangnitt and UN resident coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez at the Swedish Embassy in the city.

Dar es Salaam. The Swedish Embassy in Tanzania on Monday signed an agreement with the United Nations in Tanzania to donate $36 million (about Sh80.816 billion) for development activities for the next four years.

The agreement was signed by Swedish ambassador to Tanzania Katarina Rangnitt and UN resident coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez at the Swedish Embassy in the city.

Sweden’s contribution will be channelled through the Tanzania One Fund established for UN agencies in the country to help implement the United Nations Development Assistance Plan 2016-21 (UNDAP II).

The grant will also enable UN agencies to support local businesses with viable and inclusive value chains that have the potential to generate employment, especially for women and young people and ensure their active and meaningful participation in the country’s economy.

Addressing participants, mainly UN agency representatives after signing the agreement, Ms Rangnitt said Sweden had chosen to support UN activities that reflected the government’s commitment to women’s rights, democratic governance and economic growth.

“We join forces to support Tanzania’s development goals, especially at this time, when the government aspires to achieve the middle income economy status vision,” she said.

“The contribution demonstrates a continuation of Sweden’s close relations with both the UN and the government of Tanzania for a more equal and inclusive development.”

For his part, Mr Rodriguez thanked both the government and the people of Sweden for their sustained support, saying the grant provided would help transform development activities in the country.

“The grant will help the UN to work on a broad range of issues such as promoting employment opportunities for poor Tanzanians, addressing good governance principles and women’s leadership in politics,” he said.

United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) Tanzania deputy representative Rene van Dongen said: “This contribution will be used to implement programmes that focus on women and children through activities that promote women’s political participation and prevention of violence against women and children.”