THE PLANNING COMMISSION

 

 

H.E. Benjamin William Mkapa.
President of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Chairman to the Planning Commission 

 

Hon. Dr. Abdallah Kigoda (MP) 
Minister of State (Planning) and Vice Chairman to the Planning Commission

 

 

Prof. J. Doriye.
Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Planning Commission
 

 

Mr. O. Bendera
Deputy Permanent Secretary

 

The vision of the Planning Commission is to focus on socio-economic policy formulation and analysis as well as on strategic planning. The Planning Commission is expected to be a center of excellence and chief advisor to Government in matters of day to day economic management as well as medium and long term socio-economic development.

The role of the Planning Commission is basically facilitation and stimulation of economic activities through analysis and articulation of policies to promote and guide the participation of economic agents.

The mission of the Planning Commission is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and improve social welfare through proper management and guidance of the national economy.

ROLE AND FUNCTIONS

The broad functions of the Planning Commission includes:

  • Analysis and design of overall macro-economic policy.

  • Analysis and formulation of external sector policies.

  • Identification and planning of strategic public investments.

  • Articulation of policies and strategies for sectoral development.

  • Designing and carrying out studies and research focusing on aspects of economic development deemed to need special attention – particularly on a long-term perspective.

  • Initiation and design of policies for human resources development.

  • Formulation/articulation of strategies for employment creation.

  • Facilitation and promotion of the involvement of private economic agents in the economy.

  • Formulation of policies and strategies for rural development.

  • Collection, processing, storage and dissemination of statistics.

  • Development of Economists, Statisticians and Planners.

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

The Planning Commission has five divisions, one staff division and three staff units.

MACRO-ECONOMY DIVISION

The Macro-economy Division has to put in place or design a macro-economic policy framework that would facilitate both wholesome economic growth and stability. Preparation of such a framework has to be based on an analysis of the developments and trends of such variables as output (GDP), prices, exchange rates, money supply, savings, investments, consumption etc.

Tasks/Functions:

    • Analysis and formulation of macroeconomic policies.

    • Setting and monitoring macroeconomic indicators

    • Providing the macro-framework for the government budget.

    • Providing the macro-framework for monetary and fiscal policies.

    • Coordinating the preparation of medium and long-term development perspective (vision).

    • Preparation of semi-annual and annual reports on the state of the economy.

    • Coordination of Structural Adjustment Issues

EXTERNAL SECTOR DIVISION

To provide a sound framework for interfacing the Tanzanian economy with the external economy with a view to attaining tangible benefits from external trade, international economic cooperation and external assistance. The main functions are as follows:

Tasks/Functions

    • Analysis of international economic trends and developments and asses their implications on the domestic economy.

    • Link with other agencies in the programming of external assistance for identified priority programmes.

    • Evaluation of the impact of external assistance on economic development.

    • Establishing strategies for policy dialogue with donors.

    • Providing guidelines for Regional and International Economic Cooperation.

    • Follow-up and evaluation of performance on Regional and International Cooperation.

    • Analysis of international trade situation and formulation of policies and strategies for promoting external trade (exports of goods and services).

    • Monitoring performance of balance of payments and devise strategies for its improvement.

    • Preparation of periodic reports on external assistance, international cooperation and external trade.

GROWTH STRATEGIES DIVISION

The Growth Strategies Division is to be responsible for identification of the existing growth potentials of the country’s economy and activate them towards attainment of sound and sustainable social economic development. The central focus will be on establishing an appropriate interface between productive, commercial and economic infrastructure sectors so that the growth potentials in all sectors are harnessed and mobilised.

Tasks/Functions

    • Survey the growth potentials of the economy nationally.

    • Identify the opportunities and strategies for activating the potentials.

    • Articulate inter-sectoral policies and strategies necessary for activating the growth potentials.

    • Establish a strategic interface between public and private sector investment in order to actualize the identified growth potentials.

    • In collaboration with sector ministries, identify strategic public sector interventions in various sectors of the economy.

    • Investment promotion.

    • Promotion of productivity in various sectors of the economy.

    • Promoting the development and application Science and technology

    • Land use planning

    • Environmental issues.

    • Overseeing and supervising activities of the Parastatal Sector Reform Commission.

PUBLIC INVESTMENT DIVISION

The Public Investment Planning Division is to be responsible for establishing a framework for medium and long term public investment in the light of the redefined role of government.

Tasks/Functions
    • Preparation of the three year Strategic Public Investment Programme.
    • Coordinating the approval process for the Strategic PIP
    • Publication of guidelines for sectoral public investment plans, mainly in pursuance of the strategic PIP.
    • Consolidating the sectoral investment proposals into a National Investment Plan.
    • Coordinating the approval process for the consolidated plan.
    • Annual review of implementation of the Strategic PIP. (N.B. The semi-annual reports on the Development Budget will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance, alongside the responsibility to construct that budget as an interpretation of the strategic National Investment Plan).
    • Support to Parliamentary Committees on Public Finance.

SOCIAL SERVICES AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DIVISION (SSHRD)