America's Unwavering Support for Tanzania

Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt

By Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt

The strong bilateral relations between the United States of America and the United Republic of Tanzania are based on mutual respect and a partnership for development, begun over 50 years ago with the friendship between former presidents John F. Kennedy and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.  Our growing relations continue to this day.  The impact of America's support is measured beyond dollars to the lives transformed and saved through our development assistance programs.

In 2011, the American people contributed over 850 billion Tanzanian shillings ($700 million USD) in bilateral assistance.  U.S. support for Tanzania is focused on development and capacity building, not on direct ministerial budget assistance.  Our programs seek to promote transparency, address health and education issues, and target development indicators to sustain progress.  As underscored last summer during Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's visit, Tanzania is poised at the right moment in history for expanded growth provided its leaders continue to choose the right paths for development.

Our development efforts are multifaceted and strong.  For example, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) the American people provided over $340 million in 2011 towards improving public health and quality of basic education, conserving biodiversity, and natural resource management.

Feed the Future - launched by Secretary Clinton last June - offers $61.5 million in 2011 to boost agricultural growth, improve agricultural productivity, promote market development, facilitate trade expansion, invest in global innovation and research, promote equitable rural economic growth, and address mother and child malnutrition in Tanzania.  The fund is devoted to delivering rapid and sustainable agricultural growth– with major benefits for small-scale farmers and rural communities.

The U.S. has successfully partnered with Tanzania to promote the health of its people.  The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the largest international health commitment ever by any nation dedicated to a single disease.  Since 2004, over $1.8 billion in PEPFAR funds have supported national, international, and civil society organizations in Tanzania in the areas of HIV and AIDS care and treatment, prevention, impact mitigation, and health systems strengthening.  As a result, over 300,000 Tanzanians living with HIV infection have received anti-retroviral medications, millions of Tanzanians have received HIV testing and counseling, and benefited from information about how to avoid HIV infection.  Every year hundreds of thousands of pregnant women receive HIV testing during pregnancy and if found to have HIV infection; they are given medications to prevent HIV transmission to their babies.

Launched in 2005, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is an expansion of U.S. Government resources to reduce the intolerable burden of malaria and help reduce poverty in 17 African countries.  Since 2006, PMI has put forth $210 million towards fighting malaria in Tanzania.  Funding supports a multitude of activities nationwide that have reduced malaria prevalence in Zanzibar to less than 1 per cent, and helped the Mainland to achieve universal bed-net coverage to prevent malaria.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assists the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Government of Tanzania in responding to emerging public health threats and infectious disease outbreaks such as H1N1, Rift Valley Fever, measles, and Avian Influenza.  Through CDC, over 80 new modern HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Centers (CTC) have opened across the country providing free life saving AIDS treatment services with Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARV) where well-trained and skilled medical staff provide not only medications but also lab tests, counseling, and social support.

To address Tanzania's most critical transport, energy and water infrastructure needs, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) granted  Tanzania a five year $698 million Compact signed in 2008 - the largest in MCC's history.  Prior to that MCC provided  Tanzania a two year $11.15 million Threshold Program that helped curb corruption in public procurement, strengthen the rule of law for good governance, and trained over 300 journalists in investigative reporting, supporting a free media as essential to every democracy's development and transparency.

 
People to people exchanges continue to be the hallmark of our mutual understanding endeavors.  Tanzania was the first country to receive Peace Corps volunteers in 1962.  Over 2,000 volunteers have served and continue to serve in Tanzania as math and science teachers in secondary schools, teacher trainers in information and communication technology; leading health education projects that increase basic health knowledge and improve health attitudes and behaviors; and leading environment projects addressing basic village-level needs for sustaining natural resources.  We are especially proud that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson served as a volunteer in Tanzania's southern highlands from 1965 to 1968.

The American people also sponsor exchange programs that welcome many Tanzanians each year through the Fulbright, Humphrey, and English Language program educational grants at the graduate and post-graduate levels.  In addition, exchange programs promote artists, journalists, writers, civil servants, young leaders, musicians, and students.  In Zanzibar, the U.S. has sponsored English teaching programs and provided over 600,000 science books to secondary students.

To demonstrate respect for Tanzania's unique cultural heritage, the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation program has provided over $870,579 since 2002 for several restoration projects, including $700,000 USD for restoration of the historic ruins at Kilwa Kisiwani.

Every U.S. development assistance program is disbursed through government agencies, nongovernment organizations, or local partners.  We are proud to recognize the outstanding contribution of our government and NGO implementing partners and welcome the opportunity to continue to work together to strengthen our collaboration and improve the lives and future hopes of the Tanzanian people.

Alfonso E. Lenhardt is the Ambassador of the United States of America to the United Republic of Tanzania