In top form at 40: "excellent progress, excellent prospects" is the gist of a special report on the United Republic from Stanbic Bank. Gold brings a gleam to many Tanzanian eyes, but it's the support of agriculture that matters most.(Tanzania)

AN ECOURAGING STATUS report on Tanzania in its 40th year comes from the Economics Division of South Africa-based Standard Bank (Stanbic). Despite the traditional range of hazards, climate foremost amongst them, the United Republic turned in a very commendable 5.6 per cent growth last year, with 6.3 per cent predicted for 2004. Progress has been particularly good since one-party rule came to an end in 1995, the bank says.

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Tanzania has an excellent reputation for good governance and sound fiscal policies with the donor community--still the number-one source of funds. The bank staff comment admiringly that "prudent and astute fiscal policy has served Tanzania well after the mid-1990s." A good example of this is the attempts that are now being made to boost Road Fund contributions, as explained in the feature on highways--and those vital lesser routes--in this survey.

"Tanzania continues to carry out structural and institutional reforms required for sustained economic growth," the report says. And an upsurge in mining for solid minerals, especially gold, is really revving the …