TANZANIA'S ASSHF INTERIM OBLIGATION STATUS REPORT

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 001042 SIPDIS FOR AF/EPS AND AFR/DP/PAB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID TZ SUBJECT: TANZANIA'S ASSHF INTERIM OBLIGATION STATUS REPORT ¶1. The Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund in Tanzania has successfully completed six of the seven funded projects for FY04. The remaining one will be completed by the end of July. The program continues to be a cooperative effort of several agencies in the mission that supports mission priorities at the village level. ¶2. ASSHF will fund twelve projects in FY2005. However, due to a large turnover of personnel at post, we will obligate our FY2005 allocation of $70,000 once the new Deputy Chief of Mission and Ambassador arrive at post in July. Post will send a complete interim obligation status report then. ¶3. Post would like to expand the Ambassador's Special Self- Help Fund program in FY06, since there are so many more worthy projects, reaching more under-served communities, than we can presently fund. Given additional funding, Post would like to continue to focus on Islamic communities on Zanzibar and Pemba, and also reach out to extremely poor regions in Tanzania that desperately need assistance in education, income generation, environment and agriculture. A strong, well-funded Self Help program supports our overall strategic objectives in Tanzania. The value of the self- help program in the public eye in Tanzania far exceeds our comparatively modest investment in this program. OWEN