The Tanzanian government intends to borrow some USD1.5 billion from local and international lenders to close its budget deficit this year, The Citizen reports. The sum will be primarily used to support infrastructure projects such as roads, water infrastructure and electricity supply services, Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Mustafa Mkulo said. Ireland has pledged to provide USD1 million in general budget support, he said. Meanwhile, an appraisal mission from the African Development Bank lauded the implementation of the AfDB-backed Institutional Support Programmed for Good Governance in Tanzania. The program provides budgetary and institutional support to Tanzania’s Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau, and National Audit Office. Mission leader Abdul-Nashiru Issahaku said that “in all the programmes AfDB has supported in Africa so far, public procurement support in Tanzania has worked better.”
