R.B
JF-Expert Member
- May 10, 2012
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The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co operation, Mr Bernard Membe, has underscored the importance of "Preventive Diplomacy" in resolving raging global conflicts.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Bernard Membe
Addressing the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York , a speech for which was obtained in Dar es Salaam, Mr Membe said Tanzania welcomed the many initiatives undertaken at national, regional and international levels in promoting dialogue rather than quickening feet to draw swords whenever nations disagreed.
"We meet here amidst upheavals of unprecedented scope characterized by multiple intra and inter-state conflicts in the world, a time of emerging and worsening conflicts, most of which are taking place in Africa and the Middle East," Mr Membe said referring to last year's Arab Spring Revolution and the raging civil war in DR Congo that has claimed thousands of lives.
Mr Membe was addressing the august global assembly on behalf of President Jakaya Kikwete whom he said: "Could not attend this session due to other equally important engagements (at home)." The Minister also applauded the theme of the General Debate: "Bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means."
For 50 years of Independence, Mr Membe said, Tanzania has witnessed and appreciated the effectiveness of preventive diplomacy and has even participated in the region and the continent such as in Burundi, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya.
"The involvement of the Former Presidents of Tanzania, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Benjamin William Mkapa as well as President Kikwete, in these processes is a clear testimony of our continued commitment to preventive diplomacy," he said.But as the proverbial adage goes, no medicine man can treat himself, Tanzania too this time around, has a hotly brewing border dispute with neighbouring Malawi, which could end up at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN organ for settling global disputes, basing basically on the norms of international law.
The country has sent clear message that it wants the matter settled amicably without the need to resort to a military show down. "Mr President, we are all too aware of the dire consequences of conflicts particularly when all mechanisms provided in the Charter of the United Nations for resolving conflicts fail to find a permanent solution and lasting peace," Mr Membe said and added: "The situation in Syria is a case in point. It is important that we find ways of strengthening the early warning mechanisms and prevent conflicts before they occur," he stressed.
While facilitating dialogue, he said, it was important that nations uphold the principles of impartiality, objectivity and respect of international law. The unity of the entire UN membership, he emphasised, was crucial in ending impunity and human rights violations wherever they occur. "In whatever case, we should not pursue anything that would encourage parties in conflict to resort to armed solution instead of dialogue," he stressed.
"The Pacific Settlement of Disputes as provided under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter has never been so pertinent," he said and added: "In the interest of maintaining peace and security, we should learn to keep our differences aside and not allow them to create divisions among us. I believe your Presidency will guide us towards this direction."
Last June, the General Assembly elected former Serbian Foreign Minister, Vuk Jeremic, as the President of the current 67th session of the UN's highest body, a first from the Eastern European Group (EEG), one of the smallest regional groupings in the world.Mr Membe also took the occasion to congratulate him "for his well-deserved election" as he also saluted the Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon and the entire secretariat for their service to the UN.
Mr Membe also said Tanzania, together with the other 12 member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), have agreed to establish an International Neutral Force comprised of 4,000 troops to keep the peace in DR Congo "where rebel groups such as the M23 are destabilising and threatening peace and security of the entire region," he said."Through the African Union (AU), we are taking necessary steps to ensure that the deployment of this International Neutral Force in eastern DRC gets the mandate of the United Nations," he said.
Likewise, he said, Tanzania will work assiduously with other SADC member states to support the return to constitutional normalcy in Madagascar and the finalisation of the new constitution in Zimbabwe, which will open the way for democratic elections by June, 2013."We will proceed in this endeavour with the firm belief that a solution in both countries will finally be achieved through effective and constructive engagement of all parties concerned," he concluded.
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The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Bernard Membe
Addressing the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York , a speech for which was obtained in Dar es Salaam, Mr Membe said Tanzania welcomed the many initiatives undertaken at national, regional and international levels in promoting dialogue rather than quickening feet to draw swords whenever nations disagreed.
"We meet here amidst upheavals of unprecedented scope characterized by multiple intra and inter-state conflicts in the world, a time of emerging and worsening conflicts, most of which are taking place in Africa and the Middle East," Mr Membe said referring to last year's Arab Spring Revolution and the raging civil war in DR Congo that has claimed thousands of lives.
Mr Membe was addressing the august global assembly on behalf of President Jakaya Kikwete whom he said: "Could not attend this session due to other equally important engagements (at home)." The Minister also applauded the theme of the General Debate: "Bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means."
For 50 years of Independence, Mr Membe said, Tanzania has witnessed and appreciated the effectiveness of preventive diplomacy and has even participated in the region and the continent such as in Burundi, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya.
"The involvement of the Former Presidents of Tanzania, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Benjamin William Mkapa as well as President Kikwete, in these processes is a clear testimony of our continued commitment to preventive diplomacy," he said.But as the proverbial adage goes, no medicine man can treat himself, Tanzania too this time around, has a hotly brewing border dispute with neighbouring Malawi, which could end up at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN organ for settling global disputes, basing basically on the norms of international law.
The country has sent clear message that it wants the matter settled amicably without the need to resort to a military show down. "Mr President, we are all too aware of the dire consequences of conflicts particularly when all mechanisms provided in the Charter of the United Nations for resolving conflicts fail to find a permanent solution and lasting peace," Mr Membe said and added: "The situation in Syria is a case in point. It is important that we find ways of strengthening the early warning mechanisms and prevent conflicts before they occur," he stressed.
While facilitating dialogue, he said, it was important that nations uphold the principles of impartiality, objectivity and respect of international law. The unity of the entire UN membership, he emphasised, was crucial in ending impunity and human rights violations wherever they occur. "In whatever case, we should not pursue anything that would encourage parties in conflict to resort to armed solution instead of dialogue," he stressed.
"The Pacific Settlement of Disputes as provided under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter has never been so pertinent," he said and added: "In the interest of maintaining peace and security, we should learn to keep our differences aside and not allow them to create divisions among us. I believe your Presidency will guide us towards this direction."
Last June, the General Assembly elected former Serbian Foreign Minister, Vuk Jeremic, as the President of the current 67th session of the UN's highest body, a first from the Eastern European Group (EEG), one of the smallest regional groupings in the world.Mr Membe also took the occasion to congratulate him "for his well-deserved election" as he also saluted the Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon and the entire secretariat for their service to the UN.
Mr Membe also said Tanzania, together with the other 12 member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), have agreed to establish an International Neutral Force comprised of 4,000 troops to keep the peace in DR Congo "where rebel groups such as the M23 are destabilising and threatening peace and security of the entire region," he said."Through the African Union (AU), we are taking necessary steps to ensure that the deployment of this International Neutral Force in eastern DRC gets the mandate of the United Nations," he said.
Likewise, he said, Tanzania will work assiduously with other SADC member states to support the return to constitutional normalcy in Madagascar and the finalisation of the new constitution in Zimbabwe, which will open the way for democratic elections by June, 2013."We will proceed in this endeavour with the firm belief that a solution in both countries will finally be achieved through effective and constructive engagement of all parties concerned," he concluded.
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