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T.R. Pinda: Address to World Summit 2013
Written by Mme Tunu Rehani Pinda, Wife of the Prime Minister, Tanzania
Saturday, February 23, 2013
It gives me great pleasure and honor to be given this opportunity to speak in this World Summit on Peace, Security and Development. Before I proceed, may I request you all to stand up and observe one minute of silence to remember the founder of the Universal Peace Federation and our True Father, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon.
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. These conflicts have caused death and suffering to millions of people, among them children, women, and the elderly. Undoubtedly, a new world of lasting peace, security, and freedom as envisaged in UN Charter needs to be achieved through dialogue and reconciliation.
We are all 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. It is important that we find ways of strengthening the early warning mechanisms so as to prevent conflicts before they occur. In whatever case, we should not pursue anything that would encourage parties in conflict to resort to fighting or hurting one another instead of dialogue.
While facilitating dialogue, it is important that we uphold the principles of impartiality, objectivity, and respect of humanity and the international laws. The unity of the entire membership of the world community is crucial in ending impunity and human rights violations wherever they occur.
The peaceful settlement of disputes as provided under chapter VI of the United Nations Charter has never been so pertinent. In the interest of maintaining peace and security, we should learn to keep our differences aside and not allow them to create diversions among ourselves. I believe your Presidency will guide us towards this direction.
Tanzania is the current Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defense and Security. We have taken the mantle of leadership of the Organ at a time when some countries of the region are facing security challenges. Under the umbrella of SADC and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region of Africa (ICGLR), we have resolved to find a durable solution to the crisis in the region. Likewise, Tanzania continues to work closely with other member states of the SADC to ensure that our friendly neighboring countries which will conduct elections this year will do so in a fair and democratic way.
Peace and security in the region is very important to us, because we will no longer use our meager resources to provide basic needs including infrastructure, energy, water, health, education, and security services to refugees. The impact of refugees on our development efforts has unfortunate. We have also experienced massive environmental degradation through depletion of forests, destruction of water resources, and competition for land use.
Tanzania will continue to play an active role in all processes that will ensure that lasting peace is achieved in the region. We have a stake in the process because conflicts bring instability and hence disrupt production activities, which ultimately undermine efforts of reducing poverty in the region.
Secondly and most importantly, peaceful and stable neighboring countries open the way for economic integration and promotion of investment and trade. Currently, Tanzania enjoys social-economic integration with neighboring countries of the Great Lakes Region through the the East African Community (EAC), which includes Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda. We are also a member of the Southern African Development Cooperation (SADC), which excludes the other states of the EAC but includes the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other countries in the southern part of Africa south of Tanzania.
As a woman, I am committed to peace and security for sustainable development. Therefore, I should take this opportunity to convince this gathering that as women worldwide we need peace and security, not wars and conflicts. Wars and conflicts bring social unrest to families and deaths to human beings. I call upon the international community to bring peace and security in the world.
As you are aware, Tanzania has been in the forefront on peace, security, and development. We have a number of Ambassadors for Peace in Tanzania guided by the principles of living for the sake of others, mutual consensus, love, and protection of human welfare. We are cooperating with the UPF Ambassadors for Peace Tanzania Chapter in many ways. We are committed to work together to build a culture of heart and peace.
Let me conclude by reiterating that Tanzanians will continue our commitment to peace, security, and development. We have the duty and responsibility to make the world a better place to live. As brothers and sisters, as mothers and fathers, as a young generation, each of us has a duty to fulfill. We should uphold the sanctity of humanity before our ambitions and desires. Our people need peace and security for their development. We are here to ensure that this commitment is achieved.
Thank you for your attention, and may God bless you all.
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