Tanzania

Let me begin by congratulating Mr. Kerim for his well deserved election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. He can count on Tanzania’s full support and cooperation as he discharges his mandate. I also commend his predecessor, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, for having skilfully presided over the sixty- first session. We also congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-moon for his unanimous election as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, which reflects his distinguished diplomatic track record, integrity and commitment to international diplomacy. I thank him for the honour and trust he has bestowed upon my country, by appointing an accomplished Tanzanian academic and diplomat to the post of Deputy-Secretary-General. I take this opportunity to once again congratulate Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, for her appointment to that high office. I trust that such a combination of diligence and devoted leadership will steer this important institution towards greater heights of success. I highly commend the Secretary-General for his decision to convene the High-Level Event on Climate Change four days ago. The meeting gave us an opportunity to discuss the state of health of our common planet. It also gave us the opportunity to renew our commitment to take the necessary steps to correct the mistakes we have made. It is indisputable and is attributable, by and large, to human activities. Unfortunately Africa and many small island States contribute the least to the greenhouse gases that cause this phenomenon and yet suffer the most from the impact of climate change. Climate change can also adversely affect our abilities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It also threatens to undo the results of many decades of development efforts. I wish to emphasize that international collective action is critical in developing an effective response to global warming. Indeed, a review process to consider further commitment on the part of the Parties under the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012 is urgent and necessary. Tanzania promises to participate actively in the Bali Conference. Tanzania welcomes the recent milestones in the United Nations reform process, namely the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, the Human Rights Council and the Central Emergency Response Fund. We attach great importance to these new initiatives, and we want to contribute to their success. In its report of November 2006 entitled, “Delivering as One”, the High-level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence made valuable recommendations, including the establishment of a “One United Nations” system at the country level. We in Tanzania believe that the development coordination agenda is best served when we have one programme, one budgetary framework, one leader and one office at the country level. Tanzania is pleased to be among the eight “One United Nations” pilot countries. The One United Nations Initiative is a logical development from the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), a framework that is fully aligned with our national priorities. The efficiencies in aid delivery expected through “One United Nations” will certainly contribute to enhancing our capacity to attain the MDGs. I call upon Member States to give our Organization, the United Nations, the resources it needs to implement this pilot project. The project should not fail for lack of resources. I also urge the Bretton Woods institutions to take a keener interest in this initiative and join in the efforts to realize its objectives. The need to make the Security Council more representative is an age-old demand we all share. We need to move from rhetoric to action. Now is the time. Tanzania assures the entire United Nations membership of our wholehearted support and cooperation in this process. We are now almost halfway through the timeline of 2015 set for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Yet, we are not halfway in realizing the targets as spelt out at the Millennium Summit of 2000. We are in this unfortunate state of affairs because the additional resources expected and promised by the developed countries have not been delivered. I urge this Assembly to renew its appeal to the developed nations to deliver on their promise. In this regard, we welcome the initiative mentored by the Norwegian Prime Minister, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, to launch a global campaign to mobilize resources for achieving Goal No. 4 on reducing infant mortality rates and Goal No. 5 on reducing maternal mortality rates. Tanzania supports the effort and we are happy to be associated with it. I appeal to all Members to support the initiative. It is our hope that developed nations will support the campaign by providing the requisite resources. In the same vein, we commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for establishing the MDG Africa Steering Group. Africa is excited about it, and we trust that it will give new impetus in assisting Africa attain the Millennium Development Goals. We also welcome the historic decision taken by the President of the General Assembly to convene a special summit of leaders to discuss the MDGs during this session. We support this wise decision of our President, for we believe it will provide the needed momentum for the timely achievement of the MDGs in Africa. Tanzania promises to participate actively in this important meeting. We are happy with the tremendous progress made in Burundi. Peace has been restored, and life has come back to normal. Tanzania will continue to work with the region and South Africa to ensure the full operationalization of the peace agreement signed between the Burundi Government and the Parti Liberation du Peuple Hutu Forces nationales de liberation (PALIPEHUTU-FNL) rebel group. We are concerned with the fluidity of the situation in North Kivu. We hope wisdom will prevail on the parties concerned to give peace a chance. The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo deserve peace; they have missed it for too long. We in Tanzania promise to play whatever part may be required of us. With peace restored in Burundi and many parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is incumbent upon us in the international community to encourage and assist refugees to go back to their respective countries. That is what the tripartite commissions, involving Tanzania, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the respective countries of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been doing. Our joint commissions have been encouraging the repatriation of refugees on a voluntary basis, and we have been assisting those who have come forward. The results are encouraging, but things could be better. A word of encouragement from the Organization could make a difference. Tanzania believes that the return of refugees to their countries of origin, after peace has been restored, is a sovereign right that should not be denied. It is also the ultimate testimony to and guarantor of peace that has been attained. It is not fair it is not right for people to continue to live in refugee camps after peace has been restored in their countries of origin. The progress currently being made with regard to Darfur gives us hope. The adoption of Security Council resolution 1769 (2007), on the deployment of a hybrid force from the African Union and the United Nations, and the renewed political dialogue among the parties to the conflict hold promise for the stalled peace process and for the humanitarian crisis that unfortunately persists there. Tanzania applauds the unique partnership which has evolved between the African Union and the United Nations. We stand ready to contribute troops to the hybrid force. We are encouraged by the recent developments with regard to internal political dialogue in Somalia. We are equally happy with the attention given to Somalia by the Security Council and the Secretary- General. We welcome the recent Security Council resolution 1772 (2007), which supports the political process in Somalia and the role of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). We commend Uganda’s contribution of peacekeepers to Somalia and the good work they have been doing so far. As a member of the International Contact Group on Somalia, Tanzania promises to continue to be proactive and offers to contribute in the training of the Somali military. The United Nations should remain seized of the issue of Western Sahara. Tanzania reaffirms its support for the inalienable right of the Saharawi people to decide and choose the way forward. We urge the United Nations to intensify its efforts to find an honourable and just solution to this long-standing decolonization issue. The crisis inside the Palestinian territories is unfortunate; it is a matter of great concern to many of us. Tanzania remains supportive of efforts aimed at creating two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side and at peace with each other. This presents, in our view, the best hope for sustainable peace in the region. We applaud and welcome the renewed international interest and efforts being expended in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions. In conclusion, Tanzania reaffirms its belief in and commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations. The Assembly can count on Tanzania’s continued support to this Organization and the ideals for which it stands.