DAR ES SALAAM: THE President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, will be visiting Tanzania for a two-day trip starting today.
According to a statement from the World Bank office in Tanzania, Mr Banga has scheduled high-level discussions with President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi and various government ministers and officials during his visit.
Tomorrow, President Samia, President Mwinyi and Mr Banga will jointly preside over the opening ceremony of the International Development Association (IDA) Midterm Review meeting in Zanzibar.
As part of his visit, the World Bank leader will also be visiting Muungoni Village Seaweed Farms and Jang'ombe Hub Secondary School, both located in Zanzibar.
The purpose of these visits is to meet with project beneficiaries and witness firsthand the transformative impact of IDA support.
Muungoni Village received support from the South-West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish), which has benefited over 15,000 seaweed farmers in the country, with 74 per cent of them being women.
The project provided resources for seaweed farming, transportation, and training, resulting in reduced costs, increased production, and improved access to markets. This, in turn, has led to higher incomes and enhanced community resilience against climate challenges.
Jang'ombe is one of 24 hub schools for enhanced Math, Science and English learning (MSE) supported under the Zanzibar Improving Student Prospects (ZISP) Project.
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Through this project, the school, along with others, has been equipped with modern learning facilities, including an ICT lab, an English/Language lab, a library, a toilet block and a teacher preparation room.
Additionally, the school has received furniture and all the necessary equipment, as well as training for teaching staff.
The overall results of the ZISP project include the construction of 206 additional classrooms and learning facilities, all equipped with up-to-date teaching and learning materials.
As of November 2023, the IDA-financed portfolio in Tanzania amounts to 8.3 billion US dollars, consisting of 23 national projects totalling 7.26 billion US dollars in commitments and six regional projects totalling 1.05 billion US dollars in commitments.
Key sectors in the national portfolio include transport, education, water, urban resilience, energy, and social protection.
Other projects cover governance, digital development, human development, and poverty. Tanzania's regional projects focus on agriculture, energy, education, and poverty and equity.
IDA is the global solidarity fund of the World Bank Group that supports low-income countries. IDA works to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. Since 1960, IDA has provided 533 billion US dollars in funding to 115 countries, transforming the lives of hundreds of millions of people, including those in Tanzania.
The Midterm Review meeting will discuss the implementation and delivery of the 20th IDA financing round (IDA20), which is the largest replenishment to date, raising 93 billion US dollars to support poor countries. IDA20 concludes in 2025, and the Midterm Review will also set the stage for the IDA21 replenishment.
