SDC opened its first office in Tanzania in 1981, although Swiss development work had started long before that, with operations being managed from the Nairobi-based regional office. The main objective has always been the contribution to Tanzania’s efforts to reduce poverty and improve the living conditions of the people sustainably and equitably. SDC has been working in areas of: Decentralisation and governance for poverty reduction; Social and physical well-being; Infrastructure and rural roads support (phased out); Economic growth which recently was refocused on Private Sector Development in Agriculture. While we celebrate this important milestone locally, at the global level SDC marks this year 50 years of international development cooperation under the motto "Fifty years SDC – More than aid" . Several activities have marked these celebrations throughout 2011.

        · Journalist Exchange Visits: Two journalists --a Swiss and a Tanzanian--visited the two  

           countries and reported on developmental activities 

· Swiss National Day celebrations in Dar es Salaam (1^st August 2011) Highlighted the 

   achievements of the thirty years of cooperation

. Support of translation into Kiswahili, a book on the lives of Tanzanian's by a Swiss author