WASHINGTON, June 23, 2015—The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a total of US$100 million for Tanzania to help increase transparency and accountability in governance, and to help improve public financial management. Such improvements can enable better delivery of health, education, and water supply services.
The First Open Government and Public Financial Management Development Policy Operation(OGPFM) financed by a US$100 million International Development Association (IDA*) credit is the first of its kind in Tanzania and part of a series of operations to strengthen transparency and accountability in public resource management and foster open governance.
“The financing approved today shows the World Bank’s commitment to support Tanzania’s efforts for a more open government, greater transparency, as well as in improving public finance resource flows to improve delivery of services to the people, especially the poorest,” said Philippe Dongier, the World Bank Country Director for Tanzania.
Tanzania’s Development Vision 2025, which sets forth the country’s path to becoming a middle income country, adopted a new results delivery model known as the ‘Big Results Now!’ to ensure that programs are implemented on time with a focus on the citizens and their participation in decision-making. In support of this initiative, the OGPFM aims to create an environment where the gains from better governance can be translated into better service delivery through the introduction of a more transparent monitoring system and improved public financial management.
“The OGPFM will help to leverage the performance and transparency of the public sector in service delivery while enhancing citizen information and participation in decision making,” said Chiara Bronchi, the World Bank Task Team Leader for the project. The program proposes an innovative approach that will balance traditional public finance management reforms with a new focus on Open Data and transparency.”
The series of policy-based budget support operations will focus specifically on education, water, and health and includes a complementary technical assistance program on open data. The OGPFM program will promote key policy reforms that help enhance budget credibility and execution through better cash management, public investment management and procurement in order to improve the delivery of key services.
