[Tanzania] 'Stable' Dar leads global agenda on African poverty

from The East African

By JOHN MBARIA
Special Correspondent

Tanzania's role as the leading player in the campaign to shape the global agenda on poverty alleviation in Africa was confirmed at a recent high profile UN meeting in Vancouver, Canada.

Top Tanzanian government officials played a key role in the deliberations of the 3rd Session of the World Urban Forum organised by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), with Vice President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein giving a keynote address during the opening ceremony.

John Magufuli Pombe, who holds the Lands and Housing docket, was not to be left out. Besides co-chairing the Forum's closing session, Mr Pombe had constantly urged the world to establish a global settlements fund to aid the millions of poor people in African cities.

"Tanzania would like to propose that the time has come to establish a special Fund bank within UN-Habitat," he said.

In addition, a Tanzanian media personality, Jenerali Ulimwengu, was invited to moderate the session called to discuss developments since the Commission for Africa handed over its report to the British Prime Minister Tony Blair in March last year and since heads of state of the Group of Eight wealthiest countries in the world held their meeting in June last year in Scotland.

Tanzania's prominence in keeping the world focused on issues affecting Africa is further enhanced by the executive director of UN-Habitat, Anna Tibaijuka, who was the key personality in the Vancouver conference that brought together about 10,000 delegates from as many as 200 countries. Mrs Tibaijuka's views on what is needed to tackle the plight of Africa's poor – sought by government representatives, key global financiers, representatives of international NGOs and the media.

She and the immediate former Tanzanian president, Benjamin Mkapa, had also been appointed commissioners in the 17-member Commission for Africa in 2004. The Commission was mandated to define the salient features of the debilitating poverty in the continent and to give workable recommendations on the changes needed to address the continent's plight.

The Commission completed its task in March last year and compiled its findings in a report – Our Common Interest; Report of the Commission for Africa. The report recognises that Africa needs to be steering its own development with rich nations playing a supportive role.

The EastAfrican has learnt that Mrs Tibaijuka was instrumental in having issues affecting cities in Africa form part of the report. The University of Dar es Salaam was later commissioned to translate the report into Kiswahili.

Commentators believe Tanzania's increasingly significant role in shaping the global agenda on Africa has to do with its political stability as opposed to Kenya and Uganda who are more inward looking. While Uganda is reeling from a devastating war in the North, Kenya's significance as a global player seems to be waning even though it hosts two major UN bodies and is yet to experience any major civil strife.

During the World Urban Forum, the Kenyan government was represented by Local Government Minister Musikari Kombo and Housing Minister Soita Shitanda.

Representatives of Kenyan NGOs gave a sterling performance during the global meet. They staged and officiated in a number of networking events while some had sponsored some residents of Nairobi's slums to attend.

Groots-Kenya, ActionAid-Kenya, Practical Action (formerly Intermediate Technology Group-ITDG), Pamoja Trust and Operation Firimbi were among the NGOs that were prominently represented at the conference.