Statement by UN Resident Coordinator at Zanzibar Joint Programme Launch

Your Excellency, Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, the President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council,

H.E. Amb. Seif Ali Iddi, Second Vice President, Zanzibar,

Hon. Speaker, Zubeiri Ali Maulid,

Hon Omar Othman Makungu, Chief Justice,

Hon. Salama Aboud Talib, Ag. Minister, Ministry of Finance and Planning,

Hon. Issa Haji Ussi, Minister of State President’s Office,

Mr. Ayoub Mohamed Mahmoud, Regional Commissioner,  Mjini Magharib,

Hon. Ministers and Members of the House of Representatives,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors and Members of Diplomatic Corps,

Heads of UN Agencies,

Members of the Media,

Invited Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As-salaam Aleykum.

It is a great pleasure and honor for me to be here with the UN Family and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar to launch the Zanzibar Joint Programme, or ZJP.

The ZJP is the product of the UN Development Assistance Plan, UNDAP II 2016 – 2021, which was launched in June 2016 to support development efforts in the United Republic of Tanzania. The UNDAP II is aligned to national development priorities embedded in the Five-Year Development Plan II for the mainland and MKUZA III for Zanzibar. These two are based on global frameworks including the 2030 Global Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The UNDAP II provides concrete actions to assist the United Republic of Tanzania to become a middle- income country, which it will!

Mheshimiwa Rais, tafadhali niruhusu kukushukuru sana,  kwa utayari wako, wa kuhakikisha watu wa Zanzibar wanapata maendeleo. Juhudi zako zinaonekana wazi, na sisi tulio katika Umoja wa Mataifa, tunapongeza sana jitihada hizo. Tumedhamiria kuendelea kushirikiana nawe na watu wa Zanzibar katika kufikia Maendeleo Endelevu ya Dunia. Hongera Sana!

Mheshimiwa Rais, Umoja wa Mataifa nchini Tanzania, kupitia Mpango wa Kufanya Kazi Pamoja (DaO) unajumuisha Mashirika ishirini na tatu ya Umoja wa Mataifa; mashirika yenye ukaazi na yasiyo na ukaazi. Tafadhali niruhusu kuwatambulisha baadhi ya Wakuu wa Mashirika haya tulio nao hapa leo kama ifuatavyo; Bi Maniza Zaman-wa UNICEF, Bi Jacqueline Mahon wa UNFPA, Bwana Wellington Chibebe wa ILO, Bwana Steven Kargbo wa UNIDO, Qasim Sufi wa IOM,  Bi Julie Broussard wa UN WOMEN, Bi Natalie Boucly wa UNDP, na Bwana Fred Kafeero wa FAO.  Naomba nitumie fursa hii kutambua juhudi zao na zile za Wafanyakazi wa UN Zanzibar katika kuleta maendeleo ya Zanzibar.

Programu ya Pamoja ya Maendeleo Zanzibar, inashirikisha Mashirika tisa ya Umoja wa Mataifa chini ya Programu ya Pamoja Zanzibar; na Mratibu wa Eneo, ni Bi Dorothy Temu-Usiri, ambaye tuko naye hapa. Umoja wa Mataifa, una matumaini makubwa, ya kuona matokeo endelevu, yatakayotokana na jitihada hizi katika miaka michache ijayo.

Mheshimiwa Rais, hotuba yangu itaegemea katika maeneo makuu manne:

• Malengo ya Maendeleo Endelevu na MKUZA namba tatu;
• Msaada wa Maendeleo wa Umoja wa Mataifa na matokeo yake hapa Zanzibar,
• Mpango wa Baadae;
• Ombi la Umoja wa Mataifa

First, on the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations long partnership with Zanzibar is key in achieving MKUZA III as well as Agenda 2030. Zanzibar has been an active partner in the different SDG working groups which aim to leave no one behind. We have also had may SDG awareness-raising sessions with a focus on Youth and the Media so everyone can learn about them. Indeed, UNDAP II activities in Zanzibar are aimed at supporting SDG implementation. It is important to note that our partnership to date would not be possible without the support from development partners – Wadau wa Maendeleo. These partners include; Canada, Sweden, Japan and Norway.

Second,the foundation of our work in Zanzibar is based on results achieved in the past. We are especially proud of a number of achievements we have reached based on the strong partnership from Health to economic growth; and from governance to education. There are many results but allow me to mention just a few.

On Inclusive Growththe United Nations Country Team, has been active in the process to develop a new Industrial Policy for Zanzibar and the Zanzibar Agriculture Sector Policy.Furthermore, we have supported the Zanzibar Maricultural Hatchery Project. And we have helped establish a women’s entrepreneurship associations to strengthen collaboration between entrepreneurs and to support increase advocacy and lobbying for improved business conditions for women entrepreneurs.

On Health the UN would like to commend the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar’s investment in health infrastructure and free health services for Zanzibaris. In our partnership with you we have been able to support your efforts to develop the Zanzibar Cholera Elimination Plan, the Zanzibar strategic framework on HIV/AIDS for 2016/17-2020/21 (ZNSP III); and the rolling out of positive mother-to-mother mentors approach. And our joint efforts on maternal and new born care are helping address the challenges faced in reproductive health and the needs of Zanzibari youngest and most vulnerable population.

On Democratic Governance and Gender we commend the RGoZ for the approval of the Legal Aid Policy and the draft Legal Aid Bill which are important in addressing issues of discrimination and inequalities in Zanzibar. The UN continues to support capacity development in the legal sector, including the exchange placement of junior prosecutors and state attorneys from Zanzibar in Mainland institutions. Capacities to prevent and address corruption were improved by training of State attorneys of the Attorney General's Chambers in Zanzibar for more effective contract negotiation and management.

On my third point, Looking Ahead: Yaani Mpango wa Baadae

Kupitia mashirika yake tisa, yaani; UNDP, UNFPA, UNIDO, ILO, IOM, FAO, WHO, UNICEF na UN Women, Umoja wa Mataifa umeanza jitihada za kuinua maisha na ustawi wa wanawake na watoto wa Zanzibar. Programu ya Pamoja ya Maendeleo Zanzibar ni mradi wa kipekee ambao ni jumuishi na unalenga kuwawezesha wanawake, watoto na vijana wa Zanzibar. Shukrani za kipekee kwa wadau wetu wa Maendeleo kupitia program ya Pamoja ya Maendeleo Zanzibar. Wadau hawa ni pamoja na; Canada, Sweden, Japan na Norway. Tunasema asanteni sana.  

Mheshimiwa Rais, Tunapanga kuweka mkazo mkubwa katika maeneo manne, ambayo ni: Afya ya akina Mama na Watoto Wachanga, Uwezeshaji Wanawake Kiuchumi kupitia Kilimo cha Mwani, Kukomesha Vitendo vya Ukatili dhidi ya Wanawake na Watoto na Uratibu na Utoaji Taarifa kuhusu Maeneo hayo, Manne ya Malengo ya Maendeleo Endelevu (SDGs). Jumla ya kiasi cha fedha kinachohitajika kwa mradi mzima ni Dola za Marekani milioni thelathini na tatu nukta nane. Hadi kufika leo, programu imeshapata asilimia ishirini ya fedha zinazohitajika, yaani bado asilimia themanini. Naomba nitumie fursa hii kuwashukuru washirika wetu wa Maendeleo ambao wamekuwa wakiunga mkono Programu hii ya ZJP—Kanada, Uswidi, Japani na Norwei. Sisi UN, tunaamini pasipo na mashaka kwamba tutapata msaada zaidi kutoka kwa washirika wengine hasa kwa kuzingatia kwamba mradi huu ni kwa ajili ya maendeleo ya watu.

Finally, Mr. President, as we are launching this innovative programme of which my colleague, the UNFPA Representative, will provide more details, I would like to reiterate that the other on-going UN agency activities complement the ZJP. Notably, it is expected that the capacity building efforts that the UN is supporting in Zanzibar, will ultimately not only facilitate the implementation and reporting of the Zanzibar Joint Programme, but also MKUZA III.

Kwa upande mwingine, ZJP itafungua milango ya kujenga ushirika mpya na wadau tofauti wakiwemo: washirika wa maendeleo, sekta binafsi, na Asasi Zisizo za Kiserikali. Ningependa sisi sote tufungue mikono yetu na kuwapokea washirika wapya ili kuleta tija zaidi katika matokeo ya maendeleo Zanzibar. UN inaweka ahadi ya kuendelea kushirikiana na Serikali yako tukufu na  watu wa Zanzibar, kwa ajili ya maendeleo ya Zanzibar.

Tunaamini kwamba watu hawa watakapomiliki mafanikio basi matokeo mazuri yatajionyesha haraka katika maisha yao ya kila siku na hali ya nchi kwa ujumla. Ninamshukuru kila mmoja kwa uungaji mkono wake katika kipindi cha kupanga mchakato wa ZJP na utekelezaji mpana wa hatua nyingine zinazohusiana na Mpango wa Pili wa Msaada wa Maendeleo wa Umoja wa Mataifa (UNDAP II) hapa Zanzibar. Tunatarajia kuendelea kushirikiana kwa karibu katika miaka ijayo.

Mr. President, let me finish my remarks with the former President of Tanzania, the late Mwalimu Nyerere saying that “ If real development is to take place, the people have to be involved.”

Kupanga ni Kuchagua! Tumepanga mpango wa Pamoja wa Maendeleo wa Zanzibar, tumejipanga kuutekeleza bila kutelekeza yeyote yule, kwani haitapendeza! Maendeleo kwanza!

ZANZIBAR HOYEE!!! Asanteni Sana