Tanzania increases R&D budget from 0.3% to 1% of GDP

Published on 7 April 2009

His Excellency the President of Tanzania, Honorable Jakaya Kikwete has announced that the Tanzanian government will raise public investment in Research & Development from the current 0.3% to 1% of its GDP as of the financial year 2009/2010. By taking this step, Tanzania is the first African country with a high disease burden to significantly increase its health research budgets following repeated calls for such a move. EDCTP congratulates President Kikwete and encourages other African leaders to follow suite.

Highlighting the imbalance in the global share of health investments between developing and developed countries, African leaders in 2001 pledged in the Abuja declaration to significantly increase national expenditure on health. The Tanzanian government is the first of African governments to put this commitment into action by upgrading its R&D investment from 0.3% to 1% of GDP. This means an increase of about 248 billion Tanzanian shillings (appr. 185 million USD), up from 75 billion shillings (appr 55 million USD) that was the previous annual budgetary funding.

Important step towards African leadership in R&D
The increase of the Tanzanian R&D budget is seen as an important step in the promotion of African leadership in research. It will decrease the dependency on (limited) international funds and promote ownership of R&D at national level. Furthermore, this will provide necessary incentives for retaining national scientists as well as attracting participation of those in the Diaspora. It is only with this type of determination and dedication that Africa will be able to create the necessary capacities for R&D and foster an enabling environment for real scientific development, which in its turn will counteract poverty and contribute to economic growth. To reinforce the R&D environment in Africa as a whole, it is crucial and it is hoped that other African leaders will follow soon.

Call for rapid improvement of structures to maximise benefits of allocated funds
Health reseachers as well as the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) realise and stress the urgency of joining forces to improve the national and institutional health structures to create an enabling environment for optimal utilisation and impact of funding. Scientists need to increase their skills to prepare fundable projects and to develop convincing research proposals and grant applications. They need to be able to build research teams or consortia, partnerships and linkages. Consequently, researchers need to publish their research findings and put them to use on an individual, community and national level.