United Nations and Government shape new cooperation strategy

Recently, the United Nations in Tanzania and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania concluded a four-day workshop in Dodoma in the latest round of consultations for the formulation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2027.

The UNSDCF articulates the United Nation’s collective response in support of Tanzania’s national priorities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  More than 100 participants – UN staff and counterparts from the Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies from both Mainland and Zanzibar – engaged in rich discussions in Dodoma on change pathways that are necessary and the support that the UN can deliver to achieve the expected results of the UNSDCF.

Speaking at the workshop, leader of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, Ms. Shabnam Mallick, highlighted the importance of developing the cooperation framework jointly.  “Our sustained close partnership with the Government is key to us being able to support Tanzania to achieve the SDGs and it is important we are co-designing the UNSDCF together with our government partners and we look forward to our fruitful partnership for its implementation,” she said.

In the workshop, partners elaborated proposed outputs and implementation strategies for the UNSDCF Outcomes that had been endorsed by the UN – Government Joint Steering Committee (JSC) in October.

Under the agreed expected results of the new cooperation framework, the UN will support the country’s objectives to increase productivity and incomes, helping to achieve decent employment at the individual level but also transformation and growth at the national level; to improve the rights and well-being of those living in Tanzania both now and in the future. This healthy, educated population will have improved capabilities and be much better equipped for self-realisation and to support the realisation of the country’s aspirations as a middle-income country. The UN will support a greener more sustainable development path, which includes better access to clean energy and technology to fuel growth and enable more sustainable management of the wealth of natural resources of Tanzania. It will also involve working with Government and communities to mitigate against climate change and reduce disaster risks. Finally, to support results across these areas of the Cooperation Framework strong enabling environment will be required. This work will be around broader issues of governance, access to justice, compliance with human rights norms and standards; the elimination of violence against women and children (VAWC) and other harmful social norms and practices; mainstreaming of human rights, strong partnerships and financing for development. As part of the transformative promise of the Agenda 2030 of Leaving No One Behind, the UN places a particular focus on vulnerable groups in all its work.

These UNSDCF outcomes are based on the 5 Ps of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and stem from the Common Country Analysis in which the UN identified key challenges to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and mapped possible catalytic development solutions to accelerate the progress.  Findings of the CCA and proposed accelerators were presented to and discussed with the Government, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders in earlier stages of the UNSDCF development process.

The UNSDCF is expected to be endorsed by the UN and the Government in early 2022 and will start implementation on 1 July 2022.