Waziri Mahiga afungua Mkutano wa Mawaziri wa SADC-ISPDC

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Dkt. Augustine Mahiga akizungumza wakati wa ufunguzi wa Mkutano wa Kamati Ndogo ya Mawaziri wa Siasa na Diplomasia wa Jumuiya ya Maendeleo Kusini mwa Afrika (SADC). Mkutano huo umefanyika kwenye Kituo cha Kimataifa cha Mikutano cha Julius Nyerere Jijini Dar es Salaam

Naibu Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Dkt. Susan Kolimba ( kulia) akifuatilia  ufunguzi wa mkutano huo pamoja na washiriki wengine.

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje wa Msumbiji akifuatilia ufunguzi wa mkutao huo

Baadhi ya Wakurugenzi kutoka Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki nao wakimsikiliza Waziri Mahiga alipokuwa akizungumza katika ufunguzi wa mkutano huo., Kushoto ni Mkurugenzi wa Kitengo cha Sheria, Balozi Baraka Luvanda akifuatiwa na Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Mashariki ya Kati, Balozi Abdallah Kilima

Katibu  Mtendaji wa SADC, Dkt. Stregomena Tax naye akizungumza wakati wa Mkutano huo.

Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Ushirikiano wa Kikanda, Balozi Innocent Shiyo akitoa ratiba ya mkutano kwa wajumbe

Sehemu ya wajumbe kutoka Zimbabwe wakiwa  na Balozi wao anayeiwakilisha Zimbabwe hapa nchini Mhe. Edzai Chimonyo (katikati)

Sehemu ya Watumishi wa Mambo ya Nje wakifuatilia  ufunguzi wa mkutano huo

Mkutano ukiendelea
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OPENING REMARKS BY HON. DR. AUGUSTINE P. MAHIGA (MP) MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND EAST AFRICAN COOPERATION OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF INTER-STATE POLITICS AND

DIPLOMACY COMMITTEE, (ISPDC) MEETING HELD ON

24^THFEBRUARY, 2017 DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

Honorable Ministers,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning.

It is a great honor and privilege for me to host this important Statutory Meeting of the Inter-State Politics and Diplomacy Committee (ISPDC) of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. As was indicated by the Executive Secretary, a gathering of this nature draws its mandate from Article 6 (5) of the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, which makes provision for the Chairperson of the ISPDC to convene at least one meeting of the committee per year.  I wish to welcome you brothers and sisters to the United Republic of Tanzania, a country where hospitality is our tradition.

Distinguished Delegates,

It is my first time to host this meeting since Tanzania assumed the Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation in August, 2016. As our role entails, we are here to discuss, deliberate on and come up with fruitful decisions on the political, peace and security situation in the region.

I wish to acknowledge and commend efforts made by member states to ensure that there is peace, security and stability particularly in our fellow Member States of the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Since the last meeting, there have been a number of political developments within these two Member States and the Organ and MCO have initiated several interventions. In the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Oversight Committee (OC) continues with its work on the ground, I am glad to announce that on 12th February 2017, the SADC Facilitator and members of the Oversight Committee welcomed the leaders of opposition parties who had been in exile in South Africa. Thus, in line with the decisions of the SADC Summit, it is expected that the return of the exiled leaders will contribute to the national reconciliation of the Basotho nation as it prepares to undertake fundamental structural reforms aimed at normalizing the political and security challenges affecting the country since August 2014.

Honorable Ministers,

As for DRC, a direct Ministerial Assessment Mission has continued to maintain a presence there and provides continued support to the Member State. Recently, a technical assessment team comprising of officers from the Secretariat and the United Republic of Tanzania was deployed to the DRC from 13 to 17 February, 2017, to further assess the situation on the ground.

In light of the above, this meeting will give us an opportunity to interrogate these and other matters that continue to affect our Region. It will also give us an opportunity to review relevant policy documents that will enable us to execute this noble mandate in response to increasing contemporary complexities.

Distinguished Delegates,

May I reiterate the importance of our duty to promote and protect democracy, which is a vehicle for unity and economic development in the SADC region. Let us recall that it is only through peaceful co-existence and stability that we can achieve all the goals of the community.

As the chair I am aware that, among other issues, during this meeting we will have an opportunity to set an agreed date on the commemoration of the Southern Africa Liberation day. A day that will signify the liberation struggles of the frontline states which led to the formation of the SADCC organization in 1980.  The celebrations will also uphold and support the founding principles of the SADC Treaty and Protocol on Politics, Defense and Security cooperation which is the guiding book of the organ.

Distinguished Delegates,

As you may all agree, SADC is one of the strongest and longest surviving regional groups in Sub- Saharan Africa. Not only that but it also has strong bonds that tie its members together. This has been highlighted by the requests from other states; the Union of Comoros in 2015 and from the Republic of Burundi in 2016 to join the organization. This meeting has been tasked to assess the eligibility of both states to join SADC.

Together, let us see if both states meet the set criteria for membership of SADC and advise our Heads of States accordingly.

Distinguished Delegates,

With these few remarks and tasks ahead of us, I wish to declare this meeting officially opened.

‘Asanteni sana’

‘Karibuni Tanzania’

Katibu Mkuu wa Mambo ya Nje azungumza na Balozi wa Sweden nchini

Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Balozi Dkt. Aziz Mlima akizungumza na Balozi wa Sweden hapa nchini, Mhe. Katarina Rangnitt. Katika mazungumzo yao walijadili namna ya kuendelea kuimarisha ushirikiano kati ya Tanzania na Sweden. Mazungumzo hayo yalifanyika Wizarani tarehe 24 Februari, 2017

Balozi Rangnitt nae akimweleza jambo Balozi Mlima wakati wa mazungumzo yao

Mazungumzo yakiendelea. Kulia ni Bi. Tunsume Mwangolombe, Afisa Mambo ya Nje na kushoto ni Afisa kutoka Ubalozi wa Sweden.

Balozi Mlima akimpatia Balozi Rangnitt kadi yake ya mawasiliano ikiwa na  anuani mpya za Dodoma.

Balozi wa Tanzania nchini Ufaransa Mhe. Samwel Shelukindo awasilisha Hati zake za Utambulisho kwa Rais François Hollande jijini Paris leo

Mheshimiwa Samwel Shelukindo, Balozi wa Tanzania nchini Ufaransa akiwasilisha Hati zake za Utambulisho kwa Mheshimiwa François Hollande, Rais wa Jamhuri ya Ufaransa leo tarehe 23 Februari, 2017, Ikulu ya Ufaransa. Katikati ni Mheshimiwa Jean Marc Ayrault, Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Maendeleo ya Kimataifa wa Ufaransa

Balozi Shelukindo akiwa kwenye mazungumzo rasmi na Mheshimiwa Rais François Hollande baada ya kuwasilisha hati zake za utambulisho.

Balozi Shelukindo na Mheshimiwa Hollande wakiendelea na mazungumzo kwenye Ikulu ya Ufaransa. Kulia kwa Mheshimiwa Hollande ni Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Maendeleo ya Kimataifa ya Ufaransa, Mheshimiwa Jean-Marc Ayrault na kulia kwa Balozi Shelukindo ni Bwana Stephen Wambura, Afisa Mambo ya Nje Mkuu na Kaimu Mkuu wa Utawala katika Ubalozi wa Tanzania mjini Paris.

Balozi Shelukindo akiagana na Mhe. Rais Hollande wa Ufaransa, baada ya kuwasilisha hati za utambulisho kwenye Ikulu ya nchi hiyo leo tarehe 23 Februari, 2017

Waziri Mahiga aongoza maadhimisho ya siku ya Taifa la Kuwait

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Dkt. Augustine Mahiga (Mb.) akizungumza katika hafla ya kuadhimisha siku ya Taifa la Kuwait. Katika hafla hiyo Dkt. Mahiga ambaye alikuwa mgeni rasmi alitumia fursa hiyo kulipongeza taifa hilo na kuahidi kuendeleza ushirikiano  uliopo kati ya Tanzania na Kuwait.Pia alimpongeza Balozi wa Kuwait hapa nchini Mhe. Jasem Ibrahim Al Najem kwa juhudi zake za kuboresha na kukuza ushirikiano kati ya Tanzania na Kuwait hususan kwa kuchangia  sekta mbalimbali zikiwemo huduma za kijamii kama elimu na afya. Hafla  hiyo iliyonyika katika Hoteli ya Hyatt Jijini Dar es Salaam

Dkt. Mahiga akiendelea kuzungumza huku wageni waalikwa wakimsikiliza

Balozi wa Kuwait hapa nchini Mhe. Jasem Ibrahim Al Najem nae akizungumza wakati wa hafla hiyo. 

Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Mashariki ya Kati, Balozi Abdallah Kilima pamoja na Mabalozi mbalimbali wanaoziwakilisha nchi zao hapa nchini wakifuatilia hotuba mbalimbali zilizokuwa zikiendelea kutolewa na Waziri Mahiga na Balozi Jasem Ibrahim Al Najem

Dkt. Mahiga, Rais Mstaafu Dkt. Mwinyi pamoja na Balozi Jasem Ibrahim Al Najem wakikata keki iliyoandaliwa maalum kwa ajili ya maadhimisho hayo.

Sehemu nyingine ya wageni waalikwa wakishuhudia zoezi hilo la ukataji keki likiendelea.

Balozi Al Najem akimwonyesha Dkt. Mahiga picha za miradi mbalimbali ambayo imekwisha fanyika na inayoendelea kufanyika kupitia Serikali ya Kuwait hapa nchini.

Dkt. Mwinyi akipokea picha yenye mchoro wa Swala kutoka kwa Balozi Al Najem

Dkt. Mahiga akipokea picha ya mchoro wa Twiga kutoka kwa Balozi Al Najem

Picha ya pamoja

Rais wa Uganda kufanya ziara ya siku mbili nchini

Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Dkt. Augustine Mahiga akizungumza katika mkutano na waandishi wa habari kuhusu ziara ya siku mbili ya Rais wa Uganda, Mhe. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni atakayoifanya hapa nchini tarehe 25 na 26 Februari, 2017.Kulia ni Balozi Innocent Shiyo, Kaimu Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Afrika na kushoto ni Bi. Mindi Kasiga, Mkuu wa Kitengo cha Mawasiliano ya Serikali Wizarani.

Mkurugenzi Msaidizi wa Idara ya Afrika katika Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Bw. Suleimani Seleh (wa kwanza kushoto) akifuatilia kwa makini mkutano wa waandishi wa habari na Waziri Mahiga.Kulia ni sehemu ya waandishi wa habari waliohudhuria mkutano huo.

Juu na chini ni sehemu ya waandishi wa habari wakiendelea kumsikiliza Waziri Mahiga (hayupo pichani) .

Mkutano na Waandishi wa habari ukiendelea 

TAARIFA KWA VYOMBO VYA HABARI 

Taarifa kuhusu ziara ya Rais wa Uganda nchini

Rais wa Jamhuri ya Uganda, Mheshimiwa Yoweri Kaguta Museveni anatarajiwa kufanya ziara ya kitaifa ya siku mbili nchini tarehe 25 na 26 Februari 2017 kwa mwaliko wa Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Mheshimiwa Dkt. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli. 

Mhe. Rais Museveni anatarajiwa kuwasili kwenye Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Julius Nyerere tarehe 25 Februari, 2017 majira ya asubuhi  na atapokelewa na Mhe. Dkt Magufuli pamoja na Viongozi wengine wa Serikali. 

Madhumuni ya  ziara hiyo ni kukuza mahusiano mazuri yaliyopo baina ya Uganda na Tanzania pamoja ‎na kujadili masuala mbalimbali ya kikanda, kimataifa na maeneo ya ushirikiano kati ya nchi hizi mbili hususan katika maeneo ya Biashara, Nishati, Uchukuzi na yale yanayohusu ujirani mwema.

Wakati wa ziara hiyo, Mhe. Museveni  atakutana na Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Mhe. Dkt. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli kwa mazungumzo ya faragha yatakayofuatiwa  na mazungumzo rasmi yatakayowahusisha wajumbe wa pande mbili. 

Pia, Mhe. Rais Museveni na ujumbe wake watashiriki Dhifa ya Kitaifa iliyoandaliwa Ikulu kwa heshima yake na Mhe. Rais Magufuli.

Siku ya pili, tarehe 26 Februari, 2017, Mhe. Rais Museveni atatembelea maeneo mbalimbali ikiwemo Viwanda vya Kampuni ya Said Salim Bakhresa ambaye amewekeza pia nchini Uganda na baadaye Bandari ya Dar es Salaam.

Mahusiano ya Uganda na Tanzania‎

Mahusiano ya Tanzania na Uganda ni mazuri na yamekuwa yakiimarika kila mara. Nchi hizi mbili zimeendelea kushirikiana kwa ukaribu sana katika masuala mbalimbali ya kiuchumi, kisisasa, kiusalama, kijamii na kikanda hususan ndani ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.

Pia kumekuwepo ziara za mara kwa mara za viongozi wakuu wa kitaifa wa nchi hizi mbili ikiwemo ziara ya Rais Uganda, Mhe. Museveni ambaye alihudhuria sherehe za kuapishwa kwa Mhe. Rais Magufuli zilizofanyika mwezi Novemba, 2015. Aidha, Rais Magufuli pia alihudhuria sherehe za kuapishwa kwa Mhe. Rais Museveni mwezi Mei, 2016.

Mahusiano katika Sekta ya Biashara

Mahusiano ya kibiashara kati ya Tanzania na Uganda yameendelea kuimarika katika miaka ya hivi karibuni. Katika kipindi cha mwaka 2016 yalikuwa ni mazuri ambapo Tanzania iliweza kufanya mauzo (exports) ya kiasi cha Shilingi bilioni 126.744 ikilinganishwa na Shilingi bilioni 99.882 mwaka 2015. Mauzo ya Uganda nchini Tanzania (imports) kwa mwaka 2016 yalikuwa ni Shilingi bilioni 66.849 bilioni ikilinganishwa na Shilingi 78.31 mwaka 2015.

Aidha, nchi ya Uganda ina umuhimu mkubwa kwa Tanzania kutokana na jiografia yake katika Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki na kuwa nchi jirani tunayopakana nayo. Uganda ni nchi isiyokuwa na bandari (landlinked country) hivyo inaitegemea Tanzania kwa ajili ya kupitisha mizigo yake. 

Nchi hiyo imezidi kuwa na umuhimu kufuatia uamuzi wa kupitisha bomba la mafuta nchini Tanzania, kutoka Kabaale-Hoima, Uganda hadi Bandari ya Tanga. Bomba hili litakuwa na urefu wa kilomita 1443 na kipenyo cha inchi 24. Mradi wa ujenzi wa Bomba hili unatarajiwa kukamilika ifikapo mwaka 2020.

Utekelezaji wa mradi huu unategemewa kuwa na faida nyingi kwa taifa ikiwemo kufungua fursa za ajira kwa Watanzania, kuchochea shughuli za kiuchumi kwa mikoa bomba hilo litakapopita,  kufungua ukanda wa biashara wa kaskazini mwa Tanzania na Uganda  na kuimarisha uhusiano katika soko la Afrika Masahariki.

 Ushirikiano kupitia Tume ya pamoja ya Kudumu kati ya Tanzania na Uganda

Mkataba wa ushirikiano kati ya Tanzania na Uganda ulisainiwa Kampala, Uganda tarehe 13 Machi, 2007. Mkataba huo unaainisha maeneo mbalimbali ya ushirikiano ambayo yalipaswa kutekelezwa kupitia Tume ya Pamoja ya Ushirikiano (JPC). Maeneo yaliyoainishwa ni pamoja na Miundombinu, Viwanda, Biashara, uwekezaji, Nishati, Utalii, Kilimo, Uvuvi, Mazingira, Ulinzi na Usalama.

Ushirikiano katika jitihada za usuluhishi wa Mgogoro wa Burundi

Jitihada za usuluhishi wa mgogoro nchini Burundi zinaendelea vizuri. Mhe. Rais Museveni ambaye ni Mwenyekiti wa usuluhishi wa mgogoro huo kwa kushirikiana na Rais Msataafu wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania, Mhe. Benjamin William Mkapa ambaye ni Mwezeshaji wa mazungumzo ya upatanishi wamekuwa wakifanya jitihada za dhati za kurejesha amani nchini Burundi. 

Mhe. Rais Museveni na ujumbe wake wanatarajiwa kuondoka nchini tarehe 26 Februari, 2017.

-Mwisho-

Imetolewa na:

Kitengo cha Mawasiliano ya Serikali,

Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki,

Dar es Salaam, 23 Februari, 2017