Tanzania and Burundi lag in advances on Millennium Goals

[Geza Ulole]

Residents of Mathare slum in Nairobi fetch water at one of the watering points. Access to safe dinking water is one of the indicators used to measure progress made on MDGs.

By Jeff Otieno

Tanzania and Burundi lag behind their fellow East African Community member states in meeting the ambitious millennium development goals.

According to a report prepared by a Washington Think Tank, the two countries are the region's laggards in achieving the MDGs targets by 2015.

Though Tanzania has a higher score than Burundi, the document entitled ‘Who are the MDG trailblazers? A new MDG Progress Index' expresses disappointment on the former, saying its high ratings in institutional performance, has not been replicated on MDGs.

"In fact, Tanzania's performance is below the required achievement trajectory for every indicator examined," said one of the researchers Ben Leo.

The indicators examined were poverty reduction, education, gender equality, child and maternal mortality , access to safe drinking water, undernourishment and prevalence of HIV/Aids rates.

The researchers allocated Tanzania a low progress score of 1.0, having none of the eight measured indicators above the trajectory threshold.

The country is, however, on the right track on primary education completion and reduction in child mortality rate, having achieved almost 50 percent of the required trajectory.

Burundi, unlike Tanzania, which has suffered years of instability, was expected to have a low progress index. The small country was allocated a score of 0.5, having made gains only on education of boys and girls.

The report which was released ahead of the UN's MDG review summit, scheduled for September 20 to 22 this month, at the UN headquarters.

The summit is also expected determine whether more resources should to be allocated in the remaining five years to help poor countries meet the ambitious targets.

Already UN secretary general, Ban Ki Moon, has appointed a team to review each of the member country progress.

The document cites Uganda as the top ‘MDG trailblazer' in the region, saying the landlocked country has made tremendous progress on majority of the indicators.

"Africa accounts for four of the 15 countries ranked as "trailblazers," on track to reach at least half of the examined MDG indicators by the 2015 target year. They are Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda," said Leo.

The researchers from Centre for Global Development allocated Uganda a progress index score of 5.0, having recorded four indicators above the trajectory threshold.

The four indicators are poverty reduction, ratio of girls and boys in primary and secondary education, HIV/Aids prevalence rate and access to improved water source. The country is also making commendable progress on prevalence of under-nourished and maternal mortality ratio.


Source: The East African

MY TAKE:
Haya mbayuwayu mpeni ushindi wa tsunami mzushi wetu

 

[Kitila Mkumbo]

What does this new report confirm about us....

Recognizing that conflict-torn countries account for most of the "MDG laggards," the centre identified Tanzania, also considered the most stable in the region, as "perhaps the most surprising and interesting case".

 

[Bongolander]

What does this new report confirm about us....

Dr Kitila, kwanza i wonder whether Tanzania is doing anything for real in this matter. I can not see anything significant that is being done. For sure kuna porojo nyingi za kisiasa majukwaani na kwenye media. Lakini kupunguza umaskini? mortality rate? sidhani.

Tumekuwa tunajidangaya kuwa nchi yetu ni haven of peace lakini we do not say much what is behind it. Kwanza hizo IMF na WB ndio zimekuwa zinatoa ripoti nyingi za uongo kuhusu Tanzania, wanatoa sifa nyingi za kuwapaka mafuta kwa mgongo wa chupa viongozi wetu, lakini ukweli hakuna significant improvemet.

So in my opinion, this tells us that Tanzania is not doing anything in that endeavor.

 

[Alpha]

Recognizing that conflict-torn countries account for most of the "MDG laggards," the centre identified Tanzania, also considered the most stable in the region, as "perhaps the most surprising and interesting case".
It is not known why Tanzania is unlikely to meet any of the eight development goals by the 2015 target date.

We are beyond pathetic.

CCM needs to go, by any means necessary.

 

[deny_all]

Hivi amani tuliyonao inatusaidia kweli kama tunalinganishwa na nchi kama Burundi iliyokuwa kwenye vita muda mrefu. Nadhani kuna tatizo kubwa la kiuongozi ndani ya nchi hii...Sijui wanaJF mnaonaje kuhusu hili, soma zaidi hapo chini.