Private sector advocacy gets 13bn/- boost

BUSINESS Environment Strengthening for Tanzania-Advocacy Component (BEST-AC) has disbursed 12.5 million US dollars (over 13bn/-) for advocacy in improving private sector environment in the next five years with effect from July, this year. BEST-AC Team Leader, Mr Joseph Burke told reporters in Dar es Salaam over the weekend that the amount is a follow up to 5.7 million US dollars, that was released during implementation of the first phase of the programme. BEST-AC is managed by a Danish firm COWI A/S and its continued support for advocacy programmes is based on the good performance of its four year first phase which ran from November, 2004 to June 2008. During the first phase, 25 membership based organisations representing interests of businesses in Tanzania were supported and received support for 38 advocacy initiatives. Mr Burke said that Denmark, Sweden, Britain and Holland have allocated the funds through BEST-AC, to enable the private sector to advocate for their best interests. Mr Burke said despite growing co-operation between the government and private sector there were legal, regulatory and policy constraints. It is good, he said, for challenges to be brought to the government’s attention to be resolved for the benefit of the country’s economy. According to Mr Burke, BEST –AC is a programme that provides grants and technical assistance to private sector organisations (PSOs’) to help them engage more effectively in advocacy for better business and investment climate in Tanzania. “BEST-AC projects aim at supporting private entities to professionally advocate for their members' interests and improve business environment, that may enable businesses to flourish, create more jobs, increase peoples’ incomes and help reduce poverty,” he said. BEST-AC, he added, also assists business development service providers (BDSPs) training to enable them offer more support to private sector organizations. He said that the University of Dar es Salaam Entrepreneurship Centre (UDEC) has been working with BEST-AC, both as a training beneficiary and as a trainer of BDSPs and PSOs in various disciplines related to organizational capacity and advocacy techniques. Some of the organizations that have benefited include Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), Zanzibar Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ZNCCIA) and Tanzania Horticulture Association (TAHA). Others are Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), VIBINDO, Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO), Tourism Confederation of Tanzania (TCT) and the CEO Roundtable. Other benefactors are Rulu Arts Promoters, Confederation of Tanzania Industry (CTI), Tanzania Milk Processors Association (TAMPA), Tanzania Women Miners Association (TAWOMA), Association of People with Disability (CHAWATA) and Tanzania Air Operators Association (TAOA).