Hotuba ya Waziri Mkuu Kassim Majaliwa mkutano wa UNGA79

Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa, Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania.

STATEMENT BY RT. HON. KASSIM MAJALIWA MAJALIWA (MB), PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE SEVENTY-NINTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY (UNGA79), NEW YORK ON 27TH SEPTEMBER 2024

• Your Excellency, Philemon Yang, President of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly;

• Your Excellency António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations;

• Excellencies Heads of State and Government;

• Ladies and Gentlemen.

• Good morning/ afternoon,

Mr. President, I stand before this august Assembly to deliver a message of hope and peace to the people of the world. In doing so, I wish to convey warm and fraternal greetings from the President and people of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania wishes this assembly every success in its important deliberations.

I would also like to join the previous speakers in commending you, Mr. President, for the excellent manner you are steering the work of the Assembly.

Tanzania endorses and support the theme chosen for this session, that is: “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations.”

This theme aligns well with the UN Charter and builds on the efforts of your predecessor, His Excellency Dennis Francis, whose remarkable leadership is truly appreciated. Tanzania recognizes and thank the Secretary General for his great work and the important message he shared with us at the opening of this general debate.

Mr. President, The participation in the Seventy-Ninth General Assembly has been a unique opportunity for us to share perspectives regarding the pledges and commitments made for addressing global challenges such as pandemics, extreme poverty, climate change and conflicts. I would like to share some of Tanzania’s perspectives as follows:

Sustainable Development:

Tanzania’s Path to Inclusive Growth Mr. President, The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a beacon of hope in addressing global challenges.

Tanzania’s journey towards sustainable development reflects that of many nations, facing significant challenges from the detrimental impacts of COVID-19 on health and economic systems.

Climate change, marked by extreme weather patterns like torrential rains and droughts, has deteriorated health issues and strained infrastructure.

We are concerned about the slow pace in attaining these goals, whereby as of 2023, only 17 percent of targets were on track, with over a one third regressing or stalling.

Urgent actions and global solidarity are needed to overcome barriers such as economic imbalances, climate change, conflicts, and gender inequality.

Mr. President, Our commitments towards the realization of SDGs, is focused on sustainable economic growth through strategic investments in agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, fisheries, infrastructure development, energy and digital technology.

Our goal is to improve food security, reduce poverty, ensure job creation and drive inclusive economic growth.

There are many success stories in Tanzania emanating from this investment, such as the empowerment of youth through the Building Better Tomorrow (BBT) agriculture initiative in Mainland Tanzania, and empowerment of local women in Zanzibar through seaweed farming. On the other hand, Tanzania implements policies to ensure access to quality healthcare and education for all citizens, including the Universal Health Insurance act and Free Basic Education.

The Government also invests in vocational training and STEM education to prepare youth for the job market and digital economy.

Defending Human Dignity, Inclusivity and Equity

Mr. President, For decades, Tanzania’s Foreign policy has prioritized respect for human dignity. Addressing this Assembly on 14 December 1961, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the then Prime Minister of Tanganyika stated that:

“The basis of our actions, internal and external, will be an attempt, an honest attempt, to honour the dignity of man.” Mr. President, Tanzania has maintained this pledge by leading the fight against colonialism and racism. In this regard,

Tanzania hosted the OAU Liberation Committee, supporting freedom fighters in their struggles for independence. Despite gaining political liberation, many countries still face economic sanctions and inhumane condition which hinders the achievement of genuine development.

Thus, we call for the realization of the right to selfdetermination of all people under colonial occupation and lifting of economic sanctions imposed against them.

This assembly must continue to more boldly call for the lifting of economic sanctions placed against the people of Cuba and other countries, so to allow the people of these countries to realize their basic rights, including the right to development.

Mr. President, Global humanitarian crises due to war, conflict and natural disaster requires unrestricted access to humanitarian aid, fair treatment of victims, accountability to atrocities, and the United Nations’ commitment to upholding human dignity for a peaceful world.

Tanzania believes that every individual deserves to live in dignity, freedom, and security, to reach their full potential. The United Nations must not remain indifferent in these situations, as doing so would only undermine its legitimacy.

Peace and Security

Mr. President, Security is indivisible and peace is critical for achieving development. In the face of global health threats, characterized by pandemics such a Covid 19 and currently M-Pox, ever intensifying geopolitical tensions and the growing impacts of climate change, the saying that no one is safe until everyone is safe truly gathers meaning.

It is imperative that we should invest more in peace, foster unity and rebuild trust. In this regard, Tanzania welcomes the adoption of General Assembly resolution 78/312, which proclaims July 7th as World Kiswahili Language Day.

Kiswahili, a language spoken by over 200 million people in all continents of the world, is an important tool for advancing peace, unity and cultural diversity.

While Tanzania and other Kiswahili speaking countries look forward to commemorating this day in 2025 and beyond, we also call on this Assembly to explore the possibility of recognizing it as the 7th official language of our esteemed Organization.

The African Union, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community have already led the way.

In recognition of this requirement, Tanzania has for several decades participated in peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and mediation efforts. Tanzania has and continues to contribute towards world peace through its membership in the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council.

This contribution is also evident through its leadership in regional arrangements, such as the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region of Africa and currently the chairing of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security of the Southern African Development Community.

I wish to reassure this august assembly that Tanzania’s commitment towards peace will not weaken. Tanzania will continue to diligently dispense the obligations emanating from the Charter of the United Nations.

Climate Change Mr. President, Tanzania, like many other developing countries, is highly vulnerable to droughts, floods, desertification and effects of sea level rise.

It is estimated that the sea level will rise by 41 cm by 2080. While the sea level rise cannot be reversed, Tanzania is taking several adaptation and mitigation measures, including the restoration and plantation of mangroves, enhancement of coastal infrastructure, and promotion of eco-tourism and aquaculture.

It is imperative therefore that we must invest more in climate finance to help recover economies already suffering from these effects and to enhance access to funding for loss and damage in the hardest-hit countries.

Embracing Clean Energy Mr. President, As we prepare for COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, it is worth remembering that globally, an estimated 2.4 billion people are still using polluting fuels for cooking.

This contributes to health problems, food insecurity, gender inequality, and environmental damage, including millions of premature deaths, limited access to education and employment for women and children, and increased greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

Achieving universal clean cooking access in Africa by 2030 would require an estimated amount of 4 billion U.S Dollar annually, a small fraction of global energy spending.

Mr. President, In response to this alarming situation, Tanzania is championing a Clean Cooking Agenda, which essentially contributes to several SDGs, including goal number 7, focusing on ensuring access to affordable and sustainable energy for all.

Mr. President, I would like to inform this august assembly that Tanzania will host the Africa Energy Summit in January 2025, co-organized with the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

The summit aims to accelerate the implementation of the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group commitment to provide electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030.

We look forward to working together with all partners to unlock energy potential and build a brighter, more resilient future for Africa.

Delivering on Democracy

Mr. President, In November this year, Tanzania will hold local government elections, followed by presidential and parliamentary elections in October next year.

As we prepare for these electoral events, I wish to assure this assembly that democracy, human rights and the rule of law will be upheld in line with President Samia’s vision as captured in the 4Rs philosophy, namely: reconciliation, resilience, reforms, and rebuilding.

Since the announcement of the 4R principles in 2021, the Government of Tanzania has continued to foster harmony and promote unity across political, religious, and ethnic divides.

In implementation of the 4R, the government has also undertaken several monumental reforms that seek to address shortfalls within the criminal justice system, allow for effective political processes and enhance the enjoyment of human rights.

Mr. President, Reforms are crucial for countries and international organizations to stay relevant, for greater inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability, especially in multilateral bodies like the UN Security Council and Bretton Woods Institutions.

Tanzania remains committed to rebuilding its economy and society, focusing on inclusivity and empowering its citizens for a stronger future.

Conclusion

Mr. President, Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates, In conclusion, Tanzania urges all the world leaders to unite against international threats that undermine unity, peace, and human dignity.

We are obliged to work towards the goal stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations of sparing succeeding generations from the scourge of war.

We must stop wars and suffering that cause death and wanton suffering to innocent civilians, including women and children.

Let us leverage innovation, adopt inclusive policies, and strengthen international cooperation in accelerating the implementation of SDGs. Together, let us build partnerships that transcend borders, ensuring no one is left behind.

Let us undertake the necessary reforms to make our multilateral institutions fit for purpose. Let us rebuild trust and reconcile our differences.

Let us cooperate to build resilience of our institutions and people. We can achieve the future we want, if we commit to rebuilding and restoring what has been damaged by our past actions.

As we look to the future, let us honour the commitments made in various international fora. Together, let us embrace this moment with optimism and a shared dedication to inclusivity.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION