Dar on SDG right track, says UN envoy

 

THE United Nations is satisfied on Tanzania’s progress in implementing its set Sustainable Development Goals, saying the country was way ahead and on right tracking. Mr Alvaro Rodriguez, the UN Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative said Tanzania has made good start on SDGs, despite having been implementing the latter for only two years now.

“Quite recommendable based on what has been done so far and considering that there are 13 more years to achieve further goals,” he said.

Ambassador Rodrigues was speaking during the ongoing Tanzania Association of Government Communication Officers (TAGCO) meeting in Arusha, where he pointed out that the UNDP being a partner in Tanzania’s development initiatives needs to work with such Public Relation Officers as well as the media to constantly inform and update the public on what is being achieved so far.

“The country targets to end, or at least reduce poverty by 2025, so far a lot has been achieved to this end, including offering free education, improving health services and dealing with environment conservation and these are key factors towards poverty alleviation,” said Mr Rodriguez.

He was of view that, the roadmap towards solving all the country’s problems is clearly defined in the already hatched policies and that all is left is to translate the good ideas into implementation. But hand in hand with that, the envoy wants the public to be constantly informed on each stage of executing the set targets.

The Director of Tanzania Information Services Dr Hassan Abbas said his office was negotiation with the United Nations Representatives here on how the two parties can work together in keeping the public up to date on the government’s activities towards implementing development projects and how the ordinary people can be kept actively involved in such projects.

“Journalists in the country are the key persons to inform the mass and we are hatching an initiative to fully involve the media in covering such achievements through visiting the projects and getting first hand information on the activities,” he said.

During a special roundtable discussion at the TAGCO meeting, held at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC), the Managing Editor for the Tanzania Standard (Newspapers)Limited (TSN) Dr Jim Yonazi pointed out that the media and public relations officers must embark on new and digitally oriented ways of disseminating information.

“We are no longer in the era of long, ambiguous statements; the media contents are no longer consumed at home or offices but rather by people actively on the move, they need something that can be digested rapidly as they drive, work or attending conferences,” he said.