Nairobi — Tanzania has embarked on a two-year $20 million environmental rehabilitation programme of former refugee settlements in Kigoma and Kagera regions.

The settlements had suffered years of degradation caused by overpopulation, pollution of water masses and forest cover clearing.

Tanzania recently decided to close down the settlements after the repatriation and permanent settlement of refugees who have been living in the country since the early 1970s.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Tanzania deputy country representative Indrika Ratwatte, the rehabilitation programme is a transition from a humanitarian operations environment to sustainable socio-economic development of the Kigoma and Kagera regions, which have been hosting thousands of refugees.

"In line with this goal and in response to the Tanzanian government's priorities -- expressed in particular by the provincial authorities of Kigoma and Kagera Regions themselves -- the three areas of intervention identified were income and economic growth; social services and governance and sustainable management of natural resources," he said.

According to Mr Ratwatte, the donor agencies through the One UN system, are assisting the regional, district and local authorities in the implementation of the programme in the districts of Kigoma, Kasulu and Kibondo in Kigoma region and the Ngara and Karagwe districts in Kagera region.

The UN Joint Programme in Northwestern Tanzania dubbed "Transition from Humanitarian Assistance to Sustainable Development in northwestern Tanzania" is one out of 10 programmes formulated and implemented through the UN Delivering as One pilot project in Tanzania.

The programme had a first year budget of $10 million, out of which some $7 million was from the One UN Tanzania fund and further $3 million parallel funds from the participating UN agencies.

Another $10 million has been budgeted subject to availability of funds for the second year of implementation.

The programme, launched in July 2008, is managed by the United Nations Development Programme Tanzania and includes the following UN partners: FAO, ILO, International Organisation of Migration, UNDP, Unesco, UNHCR, Unicef, Unido, World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation.

Among the activities and results so far achieved are rehabilitation and conversion of former refugee operations assets in Kasulu, Lugufu, Kibondo and Ngara into social public service institutions and infrastructure (schools, health centres, youth development centres among others).

"This has been possible through the support provided by the UNHCR," said Mr Ratwatte.

Support provided by the WFP consists of improvement of food security through improved storage facilities for farmers.