Statement by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Benjamin William Mkapa, at the Summit Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Maseru, Lesotho, 24th August, 1996

Mr. Chairman,
Your Majesties the Kings of Lesotho and Swaziland,
Your Excellencies the Heads of State of SADC countries,
Honourable Prime Ministers and Ministers,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

I wish to join my colleagues in thanking our eminent host, His Majesty King Letsie III, and through him, the Government and People of this beautiful Kingdom, for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to us since our arrival. We are equally gratified for the excellent arrangements and facilities put at our disposal, without which our work would have been very difficult indeed.

Mr. Chairman,
In August last year, my predecessor in Office, President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, bade farewell to this august body. He did so on a note of optimism and confidence that the foundation of democracy which had been laid in my country was strong enough to withstand the rigours of transition to competitive politics within a multiparty setting and ultimately make possible the election of his successor in conditions of peace and unity. That, indeed, is what happened and I am proud to be here as a product of that functioning democracy.

We in Tanzania are confident that the roots of democracy are deepening and its reach progressively widening to embrace all sections of our society. Of course there are teething problems, both individual and institutional. As we progress, however, we also learn that competitive politics involve both winning and losing; and that whichever verdict the electorate return, it is ultimately a function of democracy. Those who lose must have the grace to accept it as process of democracy and, loss notwithstanding, they too continue to have political responsibility to the country and its people. Likewise, those who win do so on behalf of the people and they do have the duty to recognize that in the end what matters most is the triumph of democracy, and the real winners are the people.

Mr. Chairman, Your Majesties, Fellow Heads of State and Government,
My predecessor took leave of this Summit with a pledge and an expression of hope - a pledge that Tanzania would continue to value its membership to SADC, and the hope that you would extend full cooperation and assistance to his successor. I wish to renew that pledge of our profound attachment to the ideals of cooperation and friendship in SADC and to thank you all for the warmth with which you have welcomed me in your midst. In the last nine months since I assumed office I have already been to more than a half of the SADC member countries. This I hope will be taken as an expression of the commitment of my Government to SADC. For we believe strongly that SADC remains the best institutional mechanism and vehicle for enhanced regional integration and cooperation in Southern Africa.

Mr. Chairman,
Our meeting here in Maseru is testimony to the great strides which Lesotho has taken to retrace its democratic path and retrieve itself from the destructive culture of militarism. SADC itself has its genesis in the struggle of the people of this region for democratic freedom and justice, and a desire to foster greater cooperation. For this reason, the pursuit of freedom, and the promotion of cooperation through regional integration, remain the driving forces behind our efforts in the various fields of cooperation. We meet here today to renew our faith, and dedication towards our collective vision of unity, solidarity, peace, democracy, justice and development in this region.

Mr. Chairman,
Cooperation in the region is not a favour we are doing each other. It is an imperative which must be met. The transformations which have taken place in the International Economic System and the world market place leave us with no option but to come together in a partnership for survival and prosperity.

The results of the Uruguay Round, in particular the increasingly liberalised world trade regime under the World Trade Organisation, have made it amply clear that in this rapidly globalizing world, it is the bigger, more efficient and economically coherent economic entities which will withstand the rigours of the market place and emerge competitive. The trend of consolidation is gathering momentum in industry, business and in regional cooperation. From NAFTA in North America, to MERCOSUR in South America, the Pacific Rim and Europe, more and more countries are coming together to benefit from the economies of scale inherent in expanded economic space. If those in America, Europe and Asia, some of whom are individually stronger economically than the entire continent of Africa put together see the imperative of cooperation, how much more for relatively poorer countries like ours.

At the recently concluded UNCTAD IX in Midrand - South Africa, the developing countries put accent on cooperation as a means of increasing competitiveness in the production and marketing of goods and services. This is in clear realization that, no matter how stronger some of us may seem in relative terms; individually we are unlikely to stand a credible chance to be key players on the world market place. But together as SADC, with our combined population, resources, know how and market size, we can generate the necessary momentum for an economic turn-around and eventual take-off of the region.

Mr. Chairman
SADC has so far demonstrated its capacity and potential to harness internal and external resources, and the energies of the region, and target them to development. The multi-sectoral areas of cooperation, are bringing the region closer into partnership. As
governments, we have reached agreement on a number of areas, such as on energy, shared water resources, transport and communication, trade, money and finance, combating illicit drug trafficking, promotion of democracy, protecting the environment and others upon which to focus our attention. It gives me tremendous pleasure that at this, my first Summit Meeting as President of my country, I will join you in putting our signatures to the four important protocols on Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking; Energy; Transport, Communications and Meteorology; and Trade.

On political cooperation, we have now created the SADC organ for Politics, Defence and Security, to oversee the preservation of peace, resolution of conflicts, the management of political processes and consolidation of democracy in the region. This organ is an historic creation. It reflects our collective conviction that democracy, peace, security and justice are a sine qua non for growth and development. It is a desire borne out of the history of the region and founded upon the solidarity of the Front-line States. In the past year none of our countries have regressed in our pursuit of these ideals, and all we have to do now is continue encouraging each other along this commendable path. In particular I wish to mention our colleagues in Angola and Swaziland. We wish them well in their democratic endeavours. We remain fully behind them, even as each one of us also tries to attain even higher levels democracy, justice, and good governance; each one of us in our own ways.

Mr. Chairman,
It is incumbent upon us as leaders of the region to provide vision, guidance and political support to SADC. But that in itself is meaningless. The institutional arrangements we have put in place and the trade in goods and services we encourage, all depend on the activities of our business communities and the civil society. Above all our cooperation must find relevance in, and evince demonstrable benefits to the people of our individual countries and the region. This means that we must strive to make it a Community of our people - one which they feel part of and see reason to promote and build. The Community must not become a Community of Summits. It must find root, growth and expression among our people. Only then shall we have succeeded in laying the firm foundation for enduring cooperation and partnership in the region. We need, therefore, to reach out beyond our meetings and bureaucratic confines, to the civil society, the business communities, and the people as a whole. National Institutions such as Parliaments, Chambers of Commerce, Professional Associations, Non-Governmental Organisations, to mention only a few, all have a role to play. I am glad to note from the reports before us that considerable effort has been put towards this form of cooperation and other ways of building a spirit of community among the people of SADC. This is a trend we must continue to and support.

Mr. Chairman,
In the course of this year, progress has likewise been made in translating to action the shared desire by the people of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda for closer cooperation. The formal launch of the East African Cooperation Secretariat in March this year is of particular significance.

East African Cooperation is a historical reality which our people have lived and cherished for many years, notwithstanding the political circumstances which have prevailed at different times. What the Governments of our three East African countries have done is to recognize this reality and the opportunities it offers for more structured and mutual advantageous cooperation. Above all, I believe that cooperation in East Africa has a direct relevance to cooperation within the larger SADC region. Kenya and Uganda are linked to the region by maritime, surface, and air transport and telecommunications. They share with the SADC region common administrative and constitutional systems. Significant trade has also developed within this larger area. We in Tanzania consider ourselves as the bridge that links these two parts of Africa. It is a role we will continue to gladly play in the years ahead.

Mr. Chairman,
The political situation in the Great Lakes Region remains volatile, and I believe it deserves the attention of this august body. Apart from the overwhelming refugee problem, the recent developments in Burundi are a cause of great concern to all of us. The recent military take over in Burundi is a setback to the democratic and peace process in that country.

As you are aware, the leaders of the Great Lakes region have imposed economic sanctions on Burundi as a way of forcing the regime in Bujumbura to restore democratic rule and unconditionally embark on an all-party negotiated settlement. To succeed in this strategic endeavour, we seek the understanding, open support and cooperation of the international community in general, and of the countries in our the sub-region in particular.

I am happy to note that we have received wide support from the members of SADC in this undertaking aimed at creating conditions which will permit the restoration of democracy and constitutional rule in Burundi. Along with the pressure of sanctions, the countries of the region persist along the path of peace and remain committed to the Mwanza negotiating framework under the facilitation of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. We have taken a firm stance in support of democracy in the Great Lakes region. The international community, and the UN in particular, should not, must not, distinguish itself by ambivalence and equivocation.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, let me re-affirm my government's dedication to the ideals and vision of greater regional integration and cooperation within the SADC framework. You will all find in me a very willing and enthusiastic partner. Indeed, as a new comer to this supreme organ of the SADC, I cannot help becoming very hopeful and idealistic. But mine is not dreamy and idle idealism. It is an idealism that has deep roots in our common history and the many achievements we have attained together - be it in the peace, freedom, democracy and justice we now have in this region, or in the instruments of closer cooperation and integration we have put in place in the last 16 years. With each passing day, and with each passing Summit Meeting, we should be able to record greater and significant progress towards our goal, while at the same time consolidating and implementing all we agreed upon in previous Summits. SADC is different from other regional and international organisations. Let it also be different from those other organisations in which good reports and agreements continue to collect dust in their shelves. I look forward to sharing with you my modest contribution towards this goal, and I hope that the leadership we jointly provide to SADC will succeed in furthering the regional integration process for the good and prosperity of our people.

I thank you for your kind attention.