Speech by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Benjamin William Mkapa, at a New Year Sherry Party He Hosted for the Heads of Diplomatic Missions, The State House, Dar Es Salaam, January 9, 1998

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the State House this afternoon and to wish you and your families, and your members of staff, a very happy and prosperous new year. I hope those of you who joined us in 1997 have all settled down well in Dar es Salaam. I do not know what, on arrival, your Dean and colleagues told you in private about working in Tanzania. But I trust you have already seen for yourselves that while Tanzanians may be poor in their pockets, most of them are rich in their hearts, pleasant and friendly, and that their Government is always keen to develop the best relations of friendship and co-operation with all countries. I am confident, therefore, that the very good relations and co-operation which happily exist between Tanzania and the countries and organisations you represent will be further strengthened during this and coming years.

Natural Disasters
Your Excellencies,
There is the old age saying that misfortunes never come singly. It is an adage that was amply illustrated with telling effect by events in our country last year - a year that thanks to the El Niño phenomenon began with a parching and widespread drought, and ended with devastating floods that touched practically the entire country. Meteorologists have now fore-warned us to expect more floods at least until April, perhaps tobe followed by another drought.

The 1997 drought caused a shortfall of 916,000 tons in our annual food requirements, and occasioned a serious power crisis. Production of industrial goods and cash crops was adversely affected with its attendant effects on export revenues, government revenues, the budget, inflation, and economic growth.

I should like to thank all governments, institutions, and non-governmental organisations that helped us deal with the multi-faceted problems caused by the drought. On 15th September 1997, I issued an appeal for 76,000 tons of food relief. I have been informed that in response to the appeal we have so far been promised 68,640 tons of various foodstuffs, an amount equivalent to 90.3% of our food aid requirements.

I should like to thank the World Food Programme for co-ordinating this relief effort and all countries and organisations that have contributed generously to it. These include the European Union, USAID, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, and Ireland. I thank also all other countries and institutions that helped us cope with this calamity bilaterally.
Your Excellencies,

After the drought came the floods. During the fourth quarter of 1997 we received rains that on average were 300% above normal. In some areas they were upto 600% above normal. Meteorological stations in Pemba, Tanga, Zanzibar, Shinyanga, Same, Tabora, Dodoma, Mbeya, Mahenge, and Mwanza received the highest ever recorded amounts of rainfall since the stations were established.

The effects of the inundation are devastating. Surface transport in almost the entire country has been paralysed after bridges, roads and railways were flooded or washed away. Many aerodromes are waterlogged and cannot be used. As a result food, including food relief, cannot be moved easily from one place to another. Urban areas have been especially affected and prices of most foodstuffs have increased by 300 - 500% or more. Transit goods are also piling up at our ports creating high levels of congestion.

Agricultural production, for both cash and food crops, has also been affected. Thousands of acres in almost all regions are either waterlogged or the crops have been washed away by storm water. The above-normal rains were also conducive to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and they favoured the proliferation of vectors such as mosquitoes.

I am sure you have all followed in the press the efforts that the Government is making, in the context of limited resources and budgetary constraints, to repair the major transport networks to the South, North-West, and West of the country. I want to commend highly and encourage the spirit of nation-building shown by the people in dealing with the effects of the floods. We have heard of ordinary people who came out, on a purely voluntary basis, to contribute money and their energies towards repairing damaged sections of our infrastructure. There are businessmen in affected districts who contributed substantial amounts of money, fuel, vehicles, and equipment for rehabilitation work. In thanking them all for their contribution I should like to issue an appeal for similar responses from ordinary people and businessmen throughout the country.

A special word of commendation goes to the officers, engineers and men of the Tanzania People's Defence Forces who have worked day and night alongside engineers of the Tanzania Railways Corporation and those of the Ministry of Works to ensure vital transport and communication routes are opened in the shortest possible time. They have all shown a high level of dedication to duty and to their nation that deserves the encouragement and support of their fellow citizens.

It is now clear that the dual effect of drought and floods will have adverse impact on our economic reform measures and targets, especially with regard to inflation, food self-sufficiency, export revenues, government revenues, and the capacity of Government to co-ordinate its country-wide activities. We need urgent help to undertake remedial measures that will minimise the effect of the floods on our economic growth and macro-economic targets.

Your Excellencies,
I do not enjoy appearing before you in the image of an Oliver Twist. But the damage on our infrastructure is of such a magnitude that I really have no other option except to issue another appeal for assistance, of whatever kind, to deal with the disastrous consequences of the on-going deluges. It can be assistance in the form of direct budgetary support, reconstruction equipment and materials, or any other assistance.

Review of Political and Economic Developments

Your Excellencies,
On the political front, 1997 was a lively year. Political parties have been active and my government has continued to consolidate democracy and its processes. All by-elections were peaceful and conclusive. I wish to acknowledge the useful role played by all political parties in the political, economic and social fields, but especially for giving vitality to the evolving culture of political pluralism.

In Zanzibar, however, the stand of the opposition falls far short of political expectations. The continued non-participation of the opposition party in the House of Representatives is tantamount to denying the electorate their right to be represented in Parliament. A democratic forum for political dialogue, which the opposition recognises, is already in place. I would like to renew my appeal to them to embark on political dialogue within this forum, and to use their large representation in the House of Representatives to influence government policy and give multi-party democracy a chance. The solution to the crisis in Zanzibar lies primarily with the Zanzibari people, and the best way to pursue it is by constructive political dialogue through established channels.

Your Excellencies,
Efforts have continued in the last year to improve governance and economic management in our country. We have embarked on a far-reaching programme of economic reform to which we shall hold fast. Ownership of this and all other development programmes is receiving unprecedented attention. But the need remains, in the short and medium-term, for greater support in developing the capacity for self-driven and self-sustainable development.

We thank the donor community for their understanding as was expressed through the signing of the Paris Club V agreement in January last year granting us debt relief on Naples terms. I am also thankful for the aid commitments made at the Consultative Group Meeting held in Dar es Salaam last month. Our debt situation, however, remains unbearable and unsustainable. As I pointed out at the Consultative Group Meeting, it is contrary to our own philosophy of development, and a negation of the Copenhagen Social Summit spirit, that the Tanzanian Government should spend, on a per capita basis, five times more money on debt-servicing than on health and education combined. I appeal for more, substantial and urgent debt relief, so as to enable us release more resources for social services and reconstruction of the battered infrastructure which threatens the environment for macro-economic reforms.

Your Excellencies,
The year 1998 will be a momentous, exciting, and demanding one for the privatisation process in Tanzania. Major privatisations and divestitures, including that of the National Bank of Commerce (1997) Ltd., the National Microfinance Bank, the large utilities including power and water, as well as telecommunications, are lined up for divestiture this year. Our will to complete the process sooner rather than later remains unabated. But privatisations of this magnitude and nature need to be handled with the utmost transparency and care. The necessary regulatory frameworks for the conduct and operation of various privatised utilities have also to be carefully crafted and put in place in advance. All this imposes heavy demands on our time, resources and capacity. I ask, therefore, that when obstacles and delays emerge you will be realistic and generous with your exhortations, understanding and support.

Good Governance

Your Excellencies,
The war against corruption will continue to be waged. The implementation of the recommendations of the Warioba Report will begin this year along with various suggestions from stakeholders and well-wishers from within and outside the country. I am particularly gratified that the clarion call to arms against corruption has been picked up by some sections of the civil society. I was, for instance, encouraged by the decision of the Christian dioceses in Dar es Salaam and Coast Regions to set aside the Sunday after Christmas, the last Sunday of the year, to sensitise Christians on, and pray for the war on, corruption. They realised that the war has many fronts and everyone has a
role to play. The war on corruption needs the support and participation of everyone and every institution if it is to succeed. Working together like that, I am sure we will make greater progress in 1998.

Regional Co-operation

Your Excellencies,
A few days ago President Museveni and I were in Nairobi for President Moi's inauguration as President of the Republic of Kenya. It was a rightly joyous occasion that also gave us the good opportunity to renew our commitment and determination to increase the pace of regional integration and co-operation in East Africa.

Co-operation between the three East African countries has continued to widen and deepen in all fields in 1997. Among our priorities now is to develop and upgrade an East African communication and transport network. We have identified a priority regional road network which needs improvement, and we also want to improve navigational safety on Lake Victoria. These are all movements in the right direction. Transport and communication is crucial for co-operation within East Africa and between East Africa and Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.

A Ministerial delegation representing the three countries is expected to visit the headquarters of the European Union, Washington and Japan to solicit financial support for the various infrastructural projects on the drawing board. I advance a plea to the relevant governments' continued support in this regard.

Your Excellencies,
In the course of last year we also continued with our efforts to promote and strengthen regional co-operation within the framework of both SADC and COMESA. Both institutions hold great potential as vehicles for integrated regional development and require everyone's support. Within SADC, we were able when we met in Blantyre last September, to agree on a number of important issues on trade, energy, tourism, transport and communication, money and finance, mining and human resources development, as well as on combating illicit drug trafficking. Two new Protocols, one on Mining, and another on Education and Training, were signed and we endorsed the establishment of a SADC Parliamentary Forum. We were also happy to welcome to the SADC family our new members: the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Seychelles.

Great Lakes Region

Your Excellencies,
The political and security situation in the Great Lakes Region remains a matter of great concern not only to Tanzania and the region, but to the international community as a whole. Our people need peace, security, stability, co-operation and development. They do not need wars, refugees or propaganda. It is for this reason that Tanzania, along with the other regional countries, remains seized with the very serious internal political and security problems in Burundi.

Tanzania has received refugees from Burundi since pre-independence times, and we have always considered it our duty to help our neighbours find a lasting political solution to their internal problems. That is what we have always done, and it is what we will always do. We harbour no other ambitions except to see peace, security and stability installed firmly in Burundi through a political dispensation that is at once democratic and takes into account the security and political interests of everyone that calls Burundi home.

For this reason we will continue to support the efforts of the Facilitator of the Burundi peace process, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere. We will not allow ourselves to be distracted from performing this obligation by propaganda or false accusations. The continuing, if not escalating, violence, unnecessary deaths and suffering of the innocent people of Burundi are individually and collectively sufficient reason for us to ignore the unrelenting smear campaign against Tanzania and to focus instead on making a fruitful contribution to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in that country.

Lastly, I should like to thank each one of you for your co-operation, and for all you have done to promote the friendship and co-operation between Tanzania and your countries and organisations. I look forward to continuing to work well with you for this same worthy goal in 1998.

Once again, Your Excellencies, I wish you, your families and staff, peace, happiness and prosperity during 1998.

Thank you for your kind attention.