STATEMENT BY H.E AMBASSADOR KHAMIS S. KAGASHEKI (MP), MINISTER FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND TOURISM IN THE EVENT OF THE COMMEMMORATION OF THE 68TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS, KARIMJEE GROUNDS, 24TH OCTOBER 2013

•    Mr. Alberic Kacou, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Tanzania;
•    Your Excellency, Juma Alfani Mpango, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps;
•    Excellencies High Commissioners, Ambassadors and other Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
•    Major General Hassan Vuai Chema, representing CDF;
•    Government Leaders and Officials present here;
•    Religious Leaders;
•    Chair of the United Nations Association;
•    Representative of Civil Society;
•    Invited Guests;
•    Press People;
•    Friends and Colleagues;
•    Ladies and Gentlemen.

Let me begin by thanking you all for joining us in this flag raising event which marks the commemoration of the 68th birthday of the United Nations. It also marks the end of the long UN week activities earmarked to celebrate the UN day.

I am quite impressed with the excellent choices of different activities to commemorate this day. The choice of putting youth and post 2015 development agenda at the center stage of this anniversary and holding a debate involving youth is a commendable initiative. I am equally pleased with the essay exhibition event. This reminds me of the need to redouble our efforts in achieving MDGs 2 and 3 both quantitatively and qualitatively.

I welcome the choice of the broad theme the "Future We Want" for this year's anniversary. I am told this theme further addresses specific issues in Tanzania on "Empowerment of the Youth Beyond Post 2015". The choice of this theme and its sub-theme for Tanzania augurs very well with the current global discussions on the Post 2015 development framework.

I commend the Resident Coordinator and the entire UN Country family for the choice of the theme and organising the UN week, which culminates with the flag raising today. The UN week celebrations help to educate our people about the UN and its activities in Tanzania and worldwide.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
As we commemorate the 68th anniversary, we are fast approaching the deadline for the implementation and achievement of the MDGs. We are left with less than 800 days to the deadline. Status of implementation clearly presents mixed results within and among nations and regions. Generally, notable achievements in different areas have been made but challenges remain. There are mixed results in the areas of development; peace and collective security; human rights and the rule of law; and strengthening of the United Nations.

The universal adaptation; and remarkable implementation of MDGs framework though not to the agreed targets and objectives is one of the greatest achievement of the UN since its inception. This is one of the global development frameworks that has ever forged consensus from all stakeholders at national, sub-regional, regional and international levels.

Development issues are no longer a business of government entities and UN organizations only; It is now a shared responsibility. We have seen the increased involvement of civil societies, private sector, business people and philanthropies in the implementation of both national and global development frameworks particularly the MDGs.

The current status of the implementation of MDGs indicates uneven results across the world. The African continent remains the region that is mostly lagging behind. During the on-going 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the Headquarters in New York, the Secretary General convened a high level special event to follow up efforts made towards achieving the MDGs.

In the same course, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partnering with the World Bank convened a side event on "tackling the unfinished business: accelerating MDGs progress.
These are some of the meetings and events that have been held to exchange views and explore ways to accelerate the implementation of MDGs. Undoubtedly, the 68th session has once again renewed the vigor and reinvigorated the global momentum to accomplish the unfinished business on MDGs. Countries, UN entities, civil societies, NGOs, private sector, business people and philanthropies unanimously from both the North and the South recommitted to complete the task.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
Prior to these renewed commitments, the Secretary General initiated processes for the implementation of the outcome of the Rio+20, namely the "The Future We Want". He established an intergovernmental open working group on the establishment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also appointed a 17 Member high level panel to advise him on the post 2015 development agenda. The panel which was co-Chaired by the Presidents of Liberia and Indonesia and the Prime Minister of UK presented its report in May 2013. He further appointed an Intergovernmental Committee of Experts to advise him on options of financing for development. These are only a few areas that the Rio+20 instructed the UN to implement.

It is on the basis of all these initiatives that the Secretary General presented a report on Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit entitled "A life of dignity for all: accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015". The report outlines successes and remaining challenges. It points out ways to accelerate progress, the necessity to adopt new development goals and the need to prepare the post 2015 development framework.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
While the world has made commendable achievements in the area of development, it still faces unprecedented challenges in other areas such as peace and collective security; human rights and the rule of law; and strengthening of the United Nations. These issues are further exacerbated by ever increasing threats of terrorism, piracy, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and climate change.

Regrettably, lack of sustainable peace and insecurity has continued to characterize some parts of our globe. Conflicts and wars continue unabatedly in different parts of the world, from the Sahel to eastern DRC, Syria to Afghanistan, and other areas. They have caused enormous loss of innocent lives as populations continue to endure untold sufferings. The recent use of chemical weapons in Syria as confirmed by the United Nations inspections team to kill innocent people is rather distressing. The terrorist attack in Kenya is yet another barbaric and inhumane act inflicted upon innocent people.

We are hearing that those involved in the attack are from both developing and developed countries. Those who were maimed and lost their lives involve different nationalities. What does this mean? It means that we are all not safe in this world. The attack in one part of the world is an attack to the entire world. We condemn such flagrant and senseless killing of innocent people. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, as well as any association drawn between such violence and any religion, race, community or ethnic group.

The Ad hoc Committee negotiating Comprehensive Anti-Terrorism Convention must conclude its work. It is disturbing that issues such as definition of terrorism and scope of acts continue to hold the committee hostage. I am told the Committee did not meet for the whole of last year because of a stalement of negotiations. Member States must remember that while we continue our fight on such issues, terrorists continue to attack and plan for more attacks on our planet.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
These challenges affect all segments of the population. But young people are the most affected. We are witnessing an increased trend of the youth falling victims of joining terrorists groups, drug cartels and organized crimes. Although the MDGs is all about development and should seek to address these challenges but unfortunately the inclusion of youth is conspicuously absent in the 8 goals while one or two targets focus on the development and implementation strategies for decent and productive work for the youth. This requires the current discussion on the post 2015 to take on board issues of Youth such as employment and empowerment.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
As I said earlier, the theme for this year, the Future We Want and the case of Tanzania focusing on empowerment of the Youth beyond post 2015 is commendable.

The labour market for youth globally remains fragile. The Global Employment Trends 2013 report by ILO estimates global youth unemployment of 73.8 million in 2012, a rate of 12.6 per cent, compared to 12.4 per cent in 2011. The report further states that the Global youth unemployment has increased by 3.4 million since 2007. The rise in youth unemployment is occurring alongside a withdrawal of young people from the labour market, with 22.9 million fewer employed youth in 2012 than in 2007, despite growth in the global youth population of more than 12 million. This situation definitely call for inclusion of  issues of youth employment and empowerment to be given their due seat in the on-going discussions on sustainable development goals and post 2015 development agenda.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
In the case of Tanzania, the government is cognizant that we are home to one of the world’s largest youth population. The proportion of youth population (15-24 years) in Tanzania has remained between 19 and 20 percent from 1988 to 2012. Out of every ten persons in Tanzania, two are youths aged between 15 to 24 years.

On the other hand, the Tanzania National Youth Policy defines the Youth as persons aged between 15 to 35 years. Statistics from the National Bureau of Standards indicate that, total youth population is 16,195,656 million among which 7,932,472 million are male and 8,263,184 million are female. 

In terms of gender, the female population constitutes of 51.2 percent while the male are 48.8 percent. 

Youth living in the rural areas are 68.5 percent while those living in urban areas are 31.5 percent.  Statistics indicate that the youth population structure accounts for 19.1 percent of the population; these are 15-24 years while the category of 15 -35 years accounts for 34.7 percent.

According to the 2012 Population and Housing Census (PHC), the proportion of persons aged 15-35 years has decreased marginally from 35.6 percent in 2002 to 34.7 percent in 2012. The median age of the Tanzania’s population is 18 years.
Tanzania like many other African countries suffers from youth unemployment rate of 13.4 percent. Youth employees aged between 15 and 24 years comprise only 2.5 percent of total employees in the formal sector showing the low involvement of youths in the formal sector. Agricultural sector which is the main stay of most Tanzanians employs 81.4 percent.   24 percent of youths aged 15-24 years are employed in manufacturing industry followed by wholesale and retail trade comprising 17.6 percent of total youths in the formal sector. Another important industry in employing youths in Tanzania is the education sector with 15.2 percent of all youths in this sector.

Employment of youths is also dominant in mining and quarrying; manufacturing industry; electricity and gas industries. It is clear that more youths are employed in the agricultural sector . The inclusion of  rural and agriculture development in the post 2015 development agenda is therefore critical to developing countries

Major challenges facing the youth today are lack of access to capital, negative impact of the electronic media and social networks and competitiveness in education. These are current challenges apart from the traditional ones which are drug abuse, crime, violence, sexuality and poverty.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
In recognizing those challenges and trying to address them, the government of Tanzania through Mkukuta II recognises unemployment as a key issue and has set ambitious targets to reduce unemployment rates from 10 percent in 2008 to 5 percent by 2015.

The Government understands the need to help young people to harness their potential by empowering them to have a voice and to lead. The impact of this empowerment is huge, positive and can result in benefits for all.

The Government of Tanzania introduced the Youth Development Policy of 1997 to achieve young people’s right to participate formally in decision making from local to national level.

Based on the concept of empowerment, the government has established a legal framework that ensures the formation of the Youth Council. The process of forming the National Youth Council is at an advanced stage. This council will be an Apex organization which would maintain effective communication between Government, youths and Youth led Organizations. 

The National Youth Council will share the heavy task of implementing the National Youth Policy. In addition, the government has set up a Youth Development Fund that provides micro financing credit to Youth Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS) all over the country. The Fund is under the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports.  Since 2007 to date the Fund has assisted over 242 SACCOS all over the country with Tanzanian shillings 1.2 billion.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
What future does the Government of Tanzania and its people aspire for? First of all, Tanzania is part of the world and does not define its own future. In my view, we all want the future free from poverty, hunger and diseases; the future where all humankinds have the right to development and dignity; the future free from weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear, chemical and biological; the future free from wars and conflicts; the future free from threats of terrorism and piracy; the future free from oppression, domination and illegal occupation of other territories; and the future where globalisation benefits are shared fairly and equitably; 

We also want the future where human rights, rule of law and good governance are respected and upheld by all nations big or small, rich or poor. These are the issues that will shape the future for the Youth and future generation. Indeed, and I predict this is the essence of the title of the Secretary General report on Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit namely "A life of dignity for all.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
I am greatly honoured to express my government's gratitude to the United Nations in Tanzania and our development partners for the continued support to our development endeavors. I take this opportunity to reassure you of the Government’s continued cooperation.

Before concluding my statement, let me remind you all about the serious and important operation we are waging against poachers and poaching. We are witnessing an escalation of wildlife crimes never seen before on a global scale. An assault on our elephants and Rhinos can no longer be tolerated. We are running out of patience.

Those involved must be brought to books. This is not a business of small players. It is has become a big league with big names and famours players. We can afford to be accused of netting the small fishes while the whales and sharks are loose at sea. This is our war. It is a war we must win. Losing cannot never be an option.

Excellencies, comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen;
On behalf of H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania and indeed on my own behalf, I request Mr. Alberic Kacou, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Tanzania and the Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme to convey our heartfelt congratulations to the Secretary General and all Member States of the UN for the commemoration of the 68th Anniversary of the United Nations.

Happy 68th birthday to all 193 Members of the United Nations.
I thank you all for your kind attention