Naibu
Waziri wa Fedha mhe Mwigulu Nchemba amehutubia kikao cha pamoja cha
bunge la ACP na EU katika mji wa Strasbourg nchini Ufaransa.
Katika
hotuba yake, mhe Mwigulu alianza kwa kukishukuru chombo hicho kwa ajili
ya msimamo wake usioyumba kwenye maswala ya amani akitolea mfano wa kazi
nzuri waliofanya kwenye swala la Jamhuri ya Afrika ya Kati na
Sudani Kusini. Mhe Mwigulu aliitaka Jumuiya ya Kimataifa imsaidie Rais
wa muda Mama Carthrine Samba Panza ili kuwezesha kipindi cha mpito na maridhiano kuwezesha zoezi la uchaguzi huru na wa haki.
Kuhusu
maswala ya kiuchumi mhe Mwigulu aliwakumbusha wajumbe wa bunge
hilo kuwa umebaki mwaka mmoja tu kumalizia mpango wa malengo ya
Maendeleo ya Milenia (MDG’s). Mhe Mwigulu aliitaka Jumuiya ya kimataifa
kuhakikisha kuwa mpango wa maendeleo baada ya 2015 unalenga nguzo tatu
mhimu akizitaja kuwa kijamii, kiuchumi na Mazingira.
Kuhusu
kiuchumi na Kijamii mhe Mwigulu alisema kuna umhimu sasa wa kuhakikisha
malengo yanalenga sector zinazogusa na kubadilisha maisha ya watu
wachini na masikini. ‘Tumekuwa na kipindi cha kutosha kushughulikia
uchumi mkubwa , tumefanikiwa sana, ila maeneo mengi sekta zilizokuwa
hazigusi maisha ya mtu masikini na hazitengenezi ajira kwa watu
masikini’ hivyo malengo yamekuza uchumi na kuongeza pengo kati ya watu
masikini na watu matajiri.
Ni kiu
yangu kuona agenda ya baada ya 2015 inalenga kuwainua masikini kwa
kulenga sekta zinazogusa maisha ya watu masikini na kutengeneza na
kubooresha fursa kwenye sekta zinazogusa watu wengi. Umhimu huo pia
utolewe kwenye swala la mazingira kwani mazingira yanaathiri zaidi
shughuli za mtu wa hali ya chini.
Mhe
Mwigulu alisisitiza kuwa kuna uhitaji mkubwa zaidi wa kuendeleza sekta
binfsi kwa kutengeneza sekta binfsi inayolenga ujasiliamali zaidi na
kutengeneza elimu ya kujiajri. Kwa sasa misaada mingi inalenga elimu ya
siasa na haki za binadam. “Elimu nzuri zaidi ni ya kujiajiri na
haki mhimu zaidi ni ya kuishitena maisha bora” kama tunasaidia
kuelimisha uraiani tusaidie kulimisha ujasiliamali, ubunifu wa miradi,
uendelezaji miradi, biashara na kutambua fursa. Misaada ilenge kutambua
fursa za uzalishaji, kuwekeza kwenye sekta za uzalishaji na kutambua
masoko. Mhe Mwigulu alisema, soko la Ulaya limekuwa likiathiri sana
mazao ya Afrika kwa bei kutokutabirika na bei kuyumba sana. Mafia
makubwa yanalinda wakulima wao na yanazuia mataifa madogo kulinda
wakulima wao.
Mataifa
makubwa yanalinda mazao ya wakulima wao kwa kuwahakikishia masoko lakini
yanawapambanisha na wakulima wa mataifa madogo wasiokuwa na ruzuku ya
kutosha na wanaopangiwa bei za chini kwa mazao yao. Tukiamua kuinua
maisha ya mkulima masikini wa Afrika, tufute wimbo wa kushuka kwa bei za
mazao yake ktk soko la Dunia huku wakulima wa mataifa makubwa wakiwa
wamepata hifadhi.
Katika
hatua nyingine Mwigulu aliitaka Jumuiya ya kimataifa kufikia mwisho
kwenye Economic Partnership Agreements kwa kanda ambazo hazijakamilisha
kwani limekuwa jambo la muda mrefu. Wanajua kinachokwamisha, wafike
mahali wayasikilize na matakwa ya mataifa madogo kama kweli lengo la
makubaliano na nia ni kuyanufaisha mataifa madogo ili yaendelee.
Alitambua kuwa Afrika Magharibi wamepiga hatua, lakini kwa EAC na SADC
mnatambua mahitaji yetu, tusikilizeni. “there
can be no celebration in reaching a deal for the sake of it and
thereafter, encounter problems with its implementation”. Serikali
zitapoteza mapato kutokana na kupungua au kuondolewa kwa tarrifs
kuathiri sana utoaji wa huduma kwa jamii, hivyo nivyema tukajua hizi Economic Partnership Agreements zinachangia vipi kuyafikia Malengo ya Milenia.
Baada ya
hotuba hiyo ya dakika 15 ulikuja wakati wa maswali ya papo kwa papo ya
dakika 15 ambayo wajumbe wa ACP –EU waliuliza maswali. Kwa mjibu wa
taarifa ya ubalozi wa Tanzania katika nchi za BELUX na EU mission, mhe Mwigulu aliulizwa maswali yafuatayo na alijibu kwa ufasha kama ifuatavyo
QUESTION 1
by Horst Schnellhardt
Subject: Situation in South Sudan
Since
the outbreak of violence in South Sudan, some 200 000 people have been
displaced from the crisis areas. The continuing fighting is hampering
aid organisations' efforts to get to people in distress. A humanitarian
disaster could be triggered if epidemics break out among refugees.
However, the delaying tactics displayed by the warring parties at the
peace negotiations prompt concerns that no-one is genuinely interested
in a quick agreement.
1. Are efforts currently being made to work towards free humanitarian access in the areas controlled by the two warring parties?
2. What action is planned in order to increase pressure so that the peace negotiations advance?
Response
This
is a very pertinent question and I thank you for the concern about the
humanitarian situation in South Sudan. This is the youngest country in
Africa, and when it became independent two years ago, we were all full
of hope and optimism that its people, who have endured so much suffering
over the past three decades, could embark on a process of nation
building and development.
The
ACP Council does not have structures or instruments on the ground for
direct intervention in crisis. Our role is to political support the
efforts of the UN, African Union Commission, Regional organisations such
as IGAD which has been instrumental in this case, as well as individual
Member States of the African Union to resolve the crisis and assist in
addressing the humanitarian crisis.
What
is of utmost importance to the ACP Council is that these international
efforts are supported, especially with regard to providing security to
relief teams and humanitarian supplies.
QUESTION 2
by Mariya Gabriel
Subject: Reducing maternal mortality and infant mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
On
13 December 2013, the DRC Government announced an investment of USD
51.4 million to fund a project to equip health facilities. That should
make it possible to speed up efforts to realise MDGs 4 and 5.
– What
support can the Member States and the EU give DRC in actually
implementing this major government-launched programme?
– How
is the DRC Government planning to coordinate its partners' efforts to
reduce maternal mortality and infant mortality?
– In addition to infrastructure, is provision being made for appropriate training in using the new equipment?
Response
This
project does not only cover equipment, it also includes the
infrastructure for that equipment. The idea is to renovate or rebuild
certain infrastructure before installing the equipment. In addition to
equipment and infrastructure, the Government is also using this project
to finance the procurement of medication for health service structures
and to train health care personnel, not only to ensure the proper use of
all the resources made available to them, but also to enable them to
provide quality health care to the populations under their
responsibility.
On
behalf of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo I would
like the Member States of the European Union (EU) to do two things in
terms of support. The first is to bring the financial resources
allocated to the country's health sector in line with the priorities.
The second thing that the Government would like is an increase in the
external aid that the EU allocates to the health sector in order to help
it to quickly extend quality health care services for women and
children to the entire country.
QUESTION 3
by Olle Schmidt
Subject: Freedom of speech in ACP states
Freedom of speech is still a major issue in many ACP states. The
African Union, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights and
the United Nations all stress the importance of freedom of speech for
political and social development.
Twenty-eight journalists are currently imprisoned in Eritrea, one of whom, Dawit Isaak, is an EU citizen. Does the ACP Council have any news concerning Mr Isaak’s fate?
How will the ACP Council uphold the rule of law and the right to habeas corpus for Mr Isaak and for all political prisoners who have been imprisoned in ACP states without trial?
Response
The ACP Group believes that free speech facilitates democratic governance. The free flow of information and ideas is essential to healthy, progressive societies, and that free expression is central to all other freedoms.
As
the Council has stated at previous occasions, freedom of speech is one
area that is fraught with difficulties in its application, and
furthermore, the ACP Council has not assumed legal competence to adopt
any measures for the promotion of media freedoms in its member
States. While there are generally acceptable principles for good
governance, press freedom and other civil liberties, there are
jurisdictional issues involved.
Many of
the international instruments adopted by regional organizations are
merely best practice measures with persuasive and not legally
enforceable obligations in many countries.
Mr
Schmidt, as the current President-in-Office of the ACP Council, I am
aware of your keen interest in the plight of prisoners, and that you
have been asking this question a lot of times. Unfortunately, I am not
in a position to give the answer that you would like to hear. The ACP
Council would like to state that it has no jurisdiction or competence to
take measures against or in any member State of the Group. ACP states
retain their full sovereignty over their internal and external policies.
Nevertheless,
the Council would like to advise that the best way to approach this
issue is through the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights,
which is an organ of the African Union. Further, as with any case where
the human rights of individuals are concerned, we must use all the
diplomatic channels with the Government of Eritrea on this matter.
QUESTION 4
by Michael Cashman
Subject: Key year for sexual and reproductive health and rights
The
Council of the EU has acknowledged that progress on sexual and
reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is essential to human rights and
equitable development. It
has continuously and strongly supported the target of achieving
universal access to reproductive health as established in Millennium
Development Goal 5b, as well as the entire agenda of the International
Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (1994). 2014 will be a crucial year, as the International Conference on Population and Development will be renegotiated. Do
both Councils agree that this renegotiation must reaffirm that SRHR are
fundamental human rights and are key to the continuing development of
both EU and ACP states?
Response
The
ACP Council recognizes the strategic importance of access of sexual and
reproductive health care including family planning. This includes
pre-and post natal care and safe delivery, prevention and treatment of
infertility and STDs including HIV and AIDS, access to contraceptives,
reducing the recourse to unsafe abortions and comprehensive sexual
education.
The
ACP Council re iterates that access and affordability of health
services and quality medicines to all, constitute fundamental human
rights, as their inadequacy, results in major constraints in addressing
sexual and reproductive health and rights among others.
Indeed,
the prevailing incidences of maternal mortality in many ACP Countries,
underlines the need to provide adequate basic health services and
education to both men and women of reproductive age.
To
this end, the ACP Council welcomes the upcoming renegotiations of the
International Conference on Population and Development Programme of
Action with the hope that, access and affordability of health services
and quality medicines, will be highlighted as fundamental for universal
health coverage, including sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Swali
lililoteka hisia za mkutano lilikuwa swali no 4 kama linavyosomeka hapo
na jinsi mhe Naibu Waziri alivyo lijibu. Kwa kuwa maswali yalikuwa ya
papo kwa papo muuliza swali alitaka Waziri atoe msimamo wa ACP kuhusu
haki za ndoa ya jinsia moja na kama nchi zinazokandamiza haki hiyo kama
zinastahili kuendelea kupata misaada akitolea mfano Uganda. Mhe Mwigulu
alijibu, huku ukumbi ukimshangilia kwa zaidi ya dakika tano huku wote
wakiwa wamesimama kuonesha heshima kwake. Wajumbe wakiwa Wamesimama Kumshangilia Mh.Mwigulu Nchemba mara baada ya Kujibu Jibu hili hapa Chini.
As I have just said, the
ACP Council recognizes the strategic importance of access of sexual and
reproductive health care including family planning. To our values,
tradition and beliefs sexual and reproductive health and rights includes
pre-and post natal care and safe delivery, prevention and treatment of
infertility and STDs including HIV and AIDS, access to contraceptives,
reducing the recourse to unsafe abortions and comprehensive sexual
education. The matters related to homosexuality are strictly out of
contexts. I would argue the international community with due respect to
refrain from linking the development assistances with the specific
country stand on homosexual policies. Just like there was colonization,
and it come to pass, and we have passed through various periods of
Development Assistances with various conditionality’s but if we are told
to choose between our Values without assistance or Assistance tied with
homosexual conditions, we will in top of our voices and in confidence
remain with our Values without an assistance in dishonour of homosexual
policies.
Picha/Maelezo na Sanga Festo
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