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| Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki Dkt. Augustine Mahiga (Mb.) na Mwenyekiti wa organi ya Siasa,Ulinzi na Usalama ya SADC, akifungua Mkutano wa 19 ngazi ya Mawaziri katika Ushirikiano wa Masuala ya Siasa, Ulinzi na Usalama katika ukumbi wa Mikutano wa JNICC, Dar es salaam, tarehe 20 Julai,2017. Dkt. Mahiga pia alitumia fursa hiyo kuwakaribisha Mawaziri wote waliohudhuria Mkutano huo. |
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| Katibu Mtendaji wa SADC, Mhe. Dkt. Stergomena LawrenceTax naye akihutubia kwenye mkutano huo mara baada ya kufunguliwa. |
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| Viongozi mbalimbali kutoka nchi wanachama wa SADC wakisikiliza kwa makini Hotuba iliyotolewa na Dkt. Mahiga Hayupo pichani. |
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| Dkt. Augustine Mahiga (Mb.) akipeana mkono wa pongezi na Dkt. Stergomena L.Tax mara baada ya kumaliza kutoa hotuba ya Ufunguzi |
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| Meza Kuu ikiongozwa na Dkt. Augustine Mahiga, Dkt. Stargomena Tax (wa tatu kutoka kushoto), Katibu Mkuu wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki Dkt. Aziz Mlima, Mkurugenzi wa Masuala ya Siasa, Ulinzi na Usalama wa SADC, Jorge Cardoso (wa pili kutoka kushoto), Mkuu wa Kitengo cha Mawasiliano na Msemaji wa Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki Bi. Mindi Kasiga (wa kwanza kushoto) wakiimba wimbo wa Taifa. |
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REMARKS
BY
HON. DR AUGUSTINE MAHIGA, MINISTER OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND EAST AFRICAN COOPERATION OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA AND
CHAIRPERSON OF THE SADC ORGAN ON POLITICS, DEFENCE AND SECURITY COOPERATION
AT
THE 19TH MEETING
OF THE MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE OF THE ORGAN (MCO) ON POLITICS, DEFENCE AND
SECURITY COOPERATION
20 JULY 2017
Hon. Georges Rebelo
Chicoti, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola and Incoming Chairperson of the Organ;
Hon. Oldemiro Julio
Marques Baloi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mozambique and
Outgoing Chairperson of the Organ;
You Excellency Dr
Stergomena Lawrence Tax, The Executive Secretary of SADC
Distinguished Senior Officials and Delegates from SADC Member States
Partners from the
Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Good Morning
It is my greatest pleasure to
warmly welcome you to the 19th Meeting of the Ministerial Committee
of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation which is being held
here at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre, named after Mwalimu
Julius Kambarage Nyerere, The Father of the Nantion and Father of the Southern
Africa Liberation and one of the Founding Fathers of the Southern Africa Development
Community. He was a moving force for the independence of most of the our countries. Mwalimu Nyere worked together
with His Colleagues in a united front for common security and for majority rule
in most of the Southern African Countries and this was a forerunner of the SADC
Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
Honourable Ministers,
ladies and Gentlemen,
I am particularly happy to
welcome the Ministers who are visiting Dar es Salaam for the first time. I
trust that if not now, you may have the opportunity to return for a more
leisurely stay in the future as Tanzania has always been your second home. We are delighted to have you in our midst at
this meeting, which marks yet another important footstep towards deeper
integration of our region and a near completion of our work within the Organ before
handling the chair during the 37th Summit, which we will attend in
the Republic of South Africa in August 2017.
We trust that you will find the arrangements put at your disposal
conducive to the successful deliberations and your usual comfort.
I wish to take this opportunity to convey
special thanks to the Secretariat and my team for their excellent preparations
and coordination that have made the convening of this meeting a success.
Honourable Ministers,
ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me Honourable
Ministers, to also relay fraternal greetings from H.E. Dr. John Pombe Magufuli, President of the United Republic of
Tanzania and current Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security
Cooperation who strongly believes that our meeting here today is a clear
demonstration of our collective and unwavering commitment towards building a
regional block that is peaceful, stable, secure, prosperous and united.
Honourable Ministers
Ladies and Gentlemen
Before I begin my remarks, allow me Your Excellencies, to pay homage to
one of the founding fathers of SADC and former President of the Republic of
Botswana, H.E. Sir Quett Ketumile Joni Masire, who recently passed away. President Masire served as the Chairperson of
SADC’s predecessor the Southern African Development Coordination Conference,
for 16 consecutive years between 1980–1996. I would thus like to propose that
we observe a moment of silence in memory of this gallant son of the Region.
Honourable Ministers
Ladies
and Gentlemen
Since our last meeting in August 2016, there has been relative peace and
stability in the region. This was accompanied by a number of commendable
milestones in the political sphere. Among others, the SADC Oversight Committee
for the Kingdom of Lesotho was operationalised and deployed to assist the
Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho in the reform process aimed at
facilitating the realization of lasting peace and political stability in the
Kingdom of Lesotho. Since October 2016, the Oversight Committee has undertaken
4 Assessment Missions to the Kingdom of Lesotho. Furthermore, the SADC
Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) deployed two electoral assessment missions to
engage stakeholders in Lesotho in order to assess the Kingdom’s preparedness to
hold democratic elections.
With SADC support, the Kingdom of Lesotho successfully conducted
National Assembly Elections on 3rd June 2017. It is our hope that
this will immensely contribute to durable peace, stability and tranquillity in
the Kingdom of Lesotho. The deployment of the SEAC and the SADC Electoral
Observation Mission (SEOM) adequately covered the electoral process, which
greatly contributed to the peaceful elections, leading to a new coalition
government in the country. This is indeed commendable.
It is therefore, my singular honour to welcome the new Minister of
Foreign Affairs and International Relations of the Kingdom of Lesotho Honourable Lesego Makgothi, and his delegation to this meeting.
Honourable Ministers
Ladies
and Gentlemen
With regards to the DRC, a number of Assessment Missions were
undertaken. These include the February 2017 Technical Assessment Mission, the
March 2017 SEAC Goodwill Mission, the April 2017 SADC Ministerial Committee of
the Organ Troika and the Double Troika Force Intervention Brigade Troop
Contributing Countries Assessment Missions. These missions greatly assisted in
providing the Region’s leadership to preserve and maintain peace and political
stability in the DRC.
Let me highlight that in spite of these efforts, the situation in the
DRC remains very fragile and complex, calling for a redoubling of efforts from
all quarters, in particular from the Congolese leadership and citizens at
large, to work together to overcome the political, constitutional, economic,
security and humanitarian challenges that the country is facing.
Honourable Ministers
Ladies
and Gentlemen
There has also been notable progress regarding the implementation of
your committee’s 2016 decisions such as the commemoration of the Southern
Africa Liberation Day; the request from the Union of Comoros and the Republic
of Burundi to join SADC; the mechanism to honour the Founding Fathers of SADC,
including a proposal to construct a Statue of His Excellency, Julius Kambarage
Nyerere, the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania at the African
Union Commission. These will be tabled during this meeting for our discussion.
Among others, the meeting will also review progress and consider the
SADC Common Position on the implementation of the AU Draft Protocol on the Free
Movement of Persons; the SADC Standby Force Command, Control, Communication and
Information System Concept; the Design and Layout of the Regional Logistics
Depot as the Executive Secretary
indicated in her remarks and the Memorandum of Understanding between SADC and the Russian Federation in
the Area of Military and Technical Cooperation, just to mention a few.
Honourable Ministers
Ladies and Gentlemen
Allow me to emphasize the importance of the Regional Logistics Depot.
Following the attainment of the Full Operational Capability with the successful
conduct of the Exercise AMANI AFRICA in 2015, the ability and credibility of Regional
Economic Communities and the AU, in addressing African problems with African
solutions will be tested. The construction of the infrastructure required to
assist the operations of the SADC Standby Force is therefore very critical. In
this regard, SADC must take leadership and be one the first Regional Economic
Community to establish a fully functional Logistics Depot. This is particularly
so, considering that our region will be on Standby as part of the Africa
Standby Roaster, during the period 01 January to 30 June 2019.
Let me also inform you that in line with Article 7 (1) of the SADC
Protocol Against Corruption, State Parties undertook to develop and harmonise
their policies and domestic legislation for the attainment of the purpose of
this Protocol. Thus, I am pleased to
inform you that the inaugural meeting of the SADC Anti-Corruption Subcommittee
was held and their recommendations will be considered during this meeting. I
urge Member States to continue implementing provisions of the SADC Protocol
Against Corruption, and to report progress achieved on an annual basis, with
specific reference to the status of domestication.
With regards to the implementation of the UNIVISA, there has been little
progress, and its piloting status stalled since 2008, hence the urgent need for
the Piloting Group to finalise this. As
you will agree with me, facilitation of movement of persons and goods, is one
of the tenets of regional integration and economic development. Therefore, the
relaxation of VISA requirements among Member States and ultimately the
implementation of the Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons in
the region, is critical for our citizens to enjoy the benefits of regionalism
and in so doing contribute to the realisation of the dreams of our founding
fathers regarding true and deeper integration.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Before I conclude
my remarks, I wish on behalf of the Government and People of the United
Republic of Tanzania to express sincere appreciation and gratitude to you
Excellencies and the entire SADC Secretariat for the valuable support you
rendered to us for the past twelve months as Chair of the SADC Organ. We
sincerely thank you so much. Asanteni
sana
One of
the important things you need to know before I finally now conclude my remarks
is that Tanzania is home to some of Africa's most famous national parks and the
majestic Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the Serengeti. For those who want to
take a break and spend some time soaking up the sun, the beautiful beaches of
Zanzibar beckon. Off Pemba and Mafia islands is a whole other kind of natural
wonder, one most appreciated by the scuba divers and snorkelers who come here
from around the world to experience the coral gardens, colorful fish, and
crystal clear waters.If time allows, I invite you to visit them. For the sea
lovers the spice islands of Zanzibar are only 70 minutes by boat.
In conclusion allow me to thank you for your kind attention. I wish you
fruitful deliberations.
Merci beau coup
Muito Obrigado
Asante Sana.
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