The Tanzania country profile provides companies with an analysis of how corruption affects the country’s political environment and business climate. Throughout the profile, there are detailed descriptions of the country's efforts in curbing corruption, corruption-related legislation, risk-prone sectors and industries and more. This profile's General Information chapter provides an overview of anti-corruption activities and corruption risks in relation Tanzania's political, business and regulatory environments. Although Tanzania has a comprehensive body of laws to prevent corruption, cumbersome bureaucracy creates opportunities for corrupt practices. Both grand and petty corruption remain serious risks in Tanzania, and they pose clear disadvantages for business and investment. The following activities show some positive development in relation to corruption prevention and investment:

• A positive step towards circumventing the regulatory burden faced by companies investing in Tanzania has been the establishment of the Tanzanian Investment Center (TIC).
• Tanzania is a pilot country for the? Construction Sector Transparency Initiative ?(CoST), which aims at enhancing transparency and accountability in the construction sector, focusing specifically on public disclosure of information.

Despite the government’s initiatives and efforts, corruption still remains a serious problem in the country. Challenges include:

• In April 2010, the country's supreme audit institution released a report stating that there continued to be major weaknesses in government internal controls and non-compliance with laws and regulations, particularly in the area of public procurement.
• Corruption persists in government procurement, privatisation, taxation and customs clearance.
• Petty corruption ?in dealings with traffic, customs and immigration officers has been identified by foreign companies as an obstacle to investment.?
• The government's commitment to strengthening integrity has been seriously questioned given the extent of corruption within the country and corruption cases involving ministers and leading members of political parties.

Detailed descriptions of the level of corruption in a number of sectors are outlined in the profile's Corruption Levels . For a more detailed analysis of government, media and civil society anti-corruption activities, visit the Public Anti-Corruption Initiatives and Private Anti-Corruption Initiatives chapters.