This report presents the results of an evaluation of Netherlands bilateral development cooperation with Tanzania. It is one of a series of country evaluation studies of the Operations Review Unit (IOV in Dutch) embarked upon in 1991. In addition to Tanzania, India and Mali were also selected for such a study. One of the main arguments for undertaking country evaluations was the possibility to assess the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of Netherlands' aid in a wider organisation and management framework in which various aid instruments are combined. The studies were carried out with a uniform objective and similar key questions. They may vary in content, however, due to differences between the countries and the country programmes.
The Tanzania country evaluation study covers more than two decades of Netherlands' development assistance to Tanzania, i.e. since it was selected as a priority country in 1970. It includes aid made available through the regular bilateral programme and assistance provided through special programmes and channelled via non-governmental organisations. In view of the wide scope of Dutch aid to Tanzania, activities have been grouped into five main clusters. For each cluster a selection of activities was made for a more detailed assessment of their efficiency and effectiveness.
The report consists of four parts: context, bilateral aid programme, evaluation of main aid forms, and conclusions. Part One provides a general background to the development cooperation between Tanzania and the Netherlands. It gives attention to Tanzania's development strategy and its socio-economic situation, and to the role of foreign aid in that country's development. Part Two deals with the policy underlying the Netherlands' aid programme, the trends in aid volume and composition, and the organisation and management of the programme. Part Three forms the main body of the report. It presents the results of a detailed evaluation of the main clusters of Netherlands' aid, grouped according to the the various aid forms: programme assistance, capital investment projects, rural development projects, technical cooperation, and sector aid. Each of the chapters dealing with the various aid forms gives the background to Netherlands aid in terms of Tanzania's policy and the broader context of donor support before assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of aid. Part Four presents the conclusions of the study and a number of policy options for the improvement of development cooperation between the two countries.