IMPACT OF TANZANIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES LEGAL REFORMS ON ENSURING MAXIMUM BENEFITS FOR THE COUNTRY AND ITS POPULATION

Abstract

This paper studies legal reforms adopted in the Tanzania’s natural resources sector. It examines legal reform’s significant positive impact for the country and its population, in particular the arrangements on the use of natural resources. The paper analyses the enacted pieces of legislation; namely, the Natural Wealth and Resources (Permanent Sovereignty) Act, 2017 and the Natural Wealth and Resources Contracts (Review and Re-negotiation of Unconscionable Terms) Act, 2017 and their respective Regulations, 2020 (GN No. 58 and GN No. 57 of 31/1/2020; their potential impact in dealing with the country’s natural wealth and resources. This paper attempts to answer the question as to whether the reforms adopted facilitate the country and its people to access the advantages and profits available in the exploitation of natural resources.

Through the use of qualitative research techniques which combine both, library and Internet resources, the paper discovers that adopted legal reforms have established a different jurisprudence in dealing with legal arrangements on natural resources. Established jurisprudence denotes clear the object of the country, to have arrangements that facilitate the country and its population to benefit from the use of their natural resource. The author concludes with the view that adopted reforms imply the value of raising the country’s economy and improved conditions of living. However, it is too early to discern on the amount of benefits which may be yielded as this will depend on a particular investment project.