The achievement of Tanzania's long-term development objectives requires a sustained acceleration in the rate and pattern of growth that ensures a strong impact on poverty alleviation through employment creation and income generation. This will require continuing effective macroeconomic management, selective policy interventions to accelerate growth, provision of public services that enhance human capabilities(education, health, water and sanitation), and efforts to ensure that growth increases economic choice and livelihood opportunities for poor households, and a fair gender balance.

The shape and pace of regional integration in East Africa and SADC will be determined by the interweaving of a complex web of economic circumstances that are both global and regional in character.
The overarching objective of research in this area is to provide data and analysis on these issues that can assist the East African community (EAC) in its efforts to advance regional integration. This could be done through a "formative process research" approach, which actively involves the principal stakeholders in mutually agreed research, feedback and organisational learning processes.
The formative research approach could be appropriate in studying the EAC integration process, and collaboration with the EAC Secretariat and its active involvement in the feedback process could be sought and will form the backbone of the research

Social Services and the Quality of Life research will address issues of human capability in terms of survival and access to social services. Improvement in social services resulting in the wellbeing of the people is a paramount factor to achieving poverty reduction.
A healthy and educated population, for example, ensures adequate supply of skilled labour and therefore high productivity, better income distribution and improved quality of life in the society

The issue of governance has increasingly gained attention in the debate about economic growth and development. Governance is identified as one of the missing links in economic development.
Elements of governance include, the management of a country's resources for development, the actions of both central and local government and other players such as employers associations, trade unions, civil society, and institutional and implementation aspects of policy.
The current socio-political scenario requires governance matters to be articulated in a broader sense. It has to go beyond the most popular issue of corruption to encompass the overall effectiveness of the government in managing its role, functions and responsibilities.
The ESRF will therefore continue to address governance issues including improvement of both public and corporate service delivery.