PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday rued over hectic challenges faced during 2024, including the impact of El Niño rains and cyclone Hidaya, which caused floods, landslides and infrastructure damage.

In recorded remarks for end of year message to the nation, she also commented on shortage of foreign currency, particularly US dollars, in a year otherwise marked by solid successes in various fields.

She similarly regretted that the country faced a surge in road accidents, with 1,735 accidents reported in 2024, resulting in 1,715 deaths and 2,719 injuries.

Human error, particularly driver negligence, reckless driving and speeding was the leading cause of these accidents, she stated, citing ongoing road network improvement as likely to diminish the frequency of accidents in the coming year.

She expressed optimism for Tanzania's future, emphasizing the country’s growth potential, underlining that 2024 was a historic year for Tanzania.

Significant progress was made across various sectors, including political reforms, infrastructure development plus health and agriculture sector investments, paving the way for a prosperous future, she said.

She pointed at the completion of the Dar es Salaam to Morogoro section of the standard gauge railway (SGR) and start of power generation at the Julius Nyerere hydropower project, ultimately expected to boost the country's electricity production to 3,169 megawatts. 

The progress made in various sectors would lay a strong foundation for further growth, she said, projecting 2025 as a crucial year for the political landscape, with the presidential, parliamentary and ward councillors elections.

2024 was a milestone for the union, the Zanzibar Revolution and the Tanzania People's Defense Forces (TPDF), she stated, noting that the country saw peaceful local elections and removing option of being elected unopposed, describing it as a major step in democratic progress.

The government similarly established a task force to address the currency shortage, introducing the national strategy to strengthen foreign currency availability, she said.

Economically, Tanzania’s GDP grew by 5.4 percent in the first half of 2024, surpassing the previous year’s growth of 4.8 percent, attracted 865 investment projects valued at $7.7bn likely to generate 205,000 jobs, she further noted. 

The government also made strides in promoting a digital economy, launching a digital economy strategy and initiating a national identification system to digitally register the country’s population, she stated.

In the diplomatic field Tanzania gained global recognition by participating in the G20 summit and advocating for clean energy and agricultural investment. 

The country’s international relations were strengthened through state visits to 16 countries, including the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China, which led to significant investments and trade agreements, she said.

A major example is the $2.5bn loan from South Korea for infrastructure projects and the opening of new markets for Tanzanian products in China, she elaborated.

Over 1.2m trips have been made on the SGR in five months, meanmwhile as significant progress was achieved in improving market conditions for key crops.

Advancing irrigation systems and implementing reforms aimed at enhancing productivity and efficiency across various sectors were also pursued, she added.