1 & 2 - H.E Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar delivering her opening remarks during the NGOs Roundtable Discussion organized by the Embassy of Tanzania in Washington D.C. May 31, 2012
Mrs. Lily Munanka, Head of Chancery at the Embassy of Tanzania in Washington D.C. introducing some of the speakers during the NGOs Roundtable Discussion held at the Embassy Suites Hotel on May 31, 2012.
Ellen Peterson Desk Officer for Tanzania, from the U.S. Department of State speaking to the gathering about wide range of programs and outreach initiatives done by the Department of State during the NGOs Roundtable Discussion organized by the Embassy of Tanzania in Washington D.C.
Anna Mukami praising the work that has been done by Ambassador Maajar and her team at the Embassy for organising the NGOs Roundtable Discussion. Next to Ambassador Maajar is Dr. Switbert Mkama, Counselor Public Affairs in the Embassy of Tanzania in Washington D.C.
Jeff Hillesland from Gundersen Lutheran, an organization based in LaCrosse Wisconsin delivering a vote of thanks at the NGOs Roundtable Discussion organized by the Embassy of Tanzania in Washington D.C. The meeting was attended by over 70 (NGOs) institutions from around the US, with about 170 participants.
HOM Speech at the NGO Round Table Discussion May, 2012
EMBASSY OF
TANZANIA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
NGO ROUND TABLE
DISCUSSION
Speech by Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar, Ambassador of
Tanzania in the United States of America and Mexico
THE ROLE OF THE
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND THE EMBASSY OF
TANZANIA IN WASHINGTON DC IN FACILITATING NGOS ACTIVITIES IN TANZANIA
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Introduction
Good
Morning Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends of Tanzania.
It
is my pleasure to welcome you to this very important Round Table discussion. KARIBUNI SANA.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation through its
embassies abroad has the responsibility of delivering our foreign policy. Engaging
host countries, multilateral institutions and other non-state actors is part of
that responsibility. This is the essence of this meeting.
On
behalf of the Government of Tanzania and on behalf of all my colleagues at
Tanzania House, I would like to thank you very much for accepting our
invitation and joining us today. And thank you for your interest in our country
and in our people. We know you are all very busy people and most of you have
travelled a long distance to be with us today. This is testimony to your
commitment to what you do in Tanzania and elsewhere. We value your work. And we
are grateful.
I
would like to take the opportunity to recognize our speakers and the
representatives of the US Government and its agencies present in this room.
They are Ellen Peterson, Desk Officer for Tanzania, US Department of State; Kelly
Daly, Peace Corps Desk Officer, US Department of State; Trina USAID Desk
Office, US Department of State and Joanie Brooks-Lindsay, Consular Chief, US
Department of State.
Speakers
from Tanzania are Mr. Marcel Katemba, Director and Registrar of NGOs, Ministry
of Gender, Community Development and Children; Mr. Tiagi Masamaki Kabisi,
Deputy Commissioner –Trade Facilitation and Procedures, Tanzania Revenue
Authority; Mr. Ikomba Mathew, Immigration Officer, Immigration Division,
Ministry of Home Affairs; Dr. Edward Mung’ng’o, Ministry of Health and Social
Services and Mr. Paul Mwafongo, the Trade Attaché who will be presenting on
behalf of the Planning Commission, a synopsis of the Five Year Development Plan
launched by His Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete in July, 2011;
I
would also ask my colleagues in this room to introduce themselves so that
participants would know us as your hosts and who to contact in the course of
the day.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends of Tanzania,
We
were elated when Ellen told us that she and her colleagues will be addressing participants.
It is indeed evidence of the US Government’s recognition of the role of NGOs as
a strong partner in building on the bilateral relations that so happily exist between
our two countries.
In
the changing landscape of global relations, foreign policy is no longer
confined to state actors. Rather, NGOs and Civil Society Organizations continue
to play a major role in our global relations in all spheres, including in the
socio-political and even economic interactions on the international stage.
Only
the other week, President Obama invited to the G8 summit international NGOs
along with the private sector asking them to commit to the New Alliance for
Food Security and Nutrition Security for Africa. This is in recognition of the
potent power of the NGO community in the development of mankind. Need I say
more?
Ladies and
Gentlemen, Dear Friends of Tanzania,
This
meeting is about NGO participation in our Government’s efforts to better the
lives of the people of Tanzania. It is about building relations between US
based NGOs and our Government. It is about strengthening US Tanzania relations
through non-state actors. It is about continuing to build bridges.
Recognizing
the contribution of NGOs to our national development, our Embassy and the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation wanted to engage you
and interact with you. We wanted to work very closely with you and to help
facilitate your work in Tanzania. We wanted to let you know that we are here
for you and we look upon you as our partners. The work you do, working with our
communities complements the work of the Government of President Jakaya Mrisho
Kikwete in delivering social services in education, health and general social
needs. We are pleased of your positive response.
The
Government of Tanzania regards international NGOs as important non-state actors
in the delivery of its foreign policy. In the same way, American NGOs working
in Tanzania are helping Tanzania to reach out to the people of America and to cultivate
an interest in Tanzania and its people.
In
essence the American NGOs are also complementing the work of our Mission in
Washington DC by raising the profile of Tanzania in the United States through
the stories they bring back to America. America is a vast area of
representation and our embassy in DC cannot reach a large part of the people of
America but NGOs can, as they come from the community. NGOs are socially and
geographically far reaching and they have closer relations to the people,
sometimes more than the state agencies. This is why I am very happy to see so
many of you. I know we have in each one of you an ambassador for Tanzania in
the United States.
The role of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in facilitating the
activities of NGOs in our development agenda is therefore critical and I am
pleased to have the opportunity to explain that role to you today. The Ministry
and the Embassy would like to assure you that we will facilitate your work in
Tanzania as part of our annual strategic plan.
1.
The
facilitation starts with the issuance of Visa in our embassy. We are ensuring
that visa requirements continue to be clearly set out in the embassy website.
We will ensure that visa processing is done swiftly and without undue delays
and we will continue to improve our visa payment systems to make it more users
friendly.
2.
We
are working with Government Departments to address some of the issues raised by
NGOs and this is the main reason we convened this meeting. We noticed that we
were not talking to each other. Each of us worked on our corner. Some NGOs
raised issues with us concerning import duties on donated imports, visa and
work permits, visa fees, volunteer health workers license fees, import duties
of items donated by NGOs, dispute resolution between US and local partners,
etc. Although the Treasury will normally try to streamline fees for visa,
residence permit, health workers’ license fees, etc, we did not previously look
into how much in total would for example, a health volunteer end up paying from
his or her visa, license and if need be residence permit. These issues will now
be addressed and recommendations submitted to Government.
3.
We
will engage the NGOs constantly. We will organize meetings and events that will
offer the opportunity for networking and we will create a page on our website
for NGOs to allow them to network and where possible to form alliances. NGOs are
encouraged to visit our website and to follow on the important links so that
they learn more about Tanzania and the areas they are working. If the
information on the website is not adequate NGOs are encouraged to contact us
for further details.
4.
Our
Embassy Strategic Plan each year, and we have already started this year, will
have NGO related activity and NGOs will be considered an important ally in the
delivery of our foreign policy in the United Sates. As I already said, we will
consider US NGOs working in Tanzania as our Honorary Consuls in their
respective areas in the United States.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends of Tanzania,
As we continue
this engagement, we encourage NGOs working in Tanzania and if they have not yet
done so, to do the following:-
1.
Please
contact the embassy by email or telephone or even visiting before you travel to
Tanzania and raise any issues that you need clarified. If you need a reference
letter, we will be pleased to issue one.
2.
Work with relevant government authorities in districts,
the office of the District Commissioner, in the Regions the office of the
Regional Commissioner as well as the relevant Ministries. When you make
contacts, with authorities, a reference letter is always useful.
3.
Please
report at a local government office near your place of operation. This creates
good working relationship and at least you would know where to go should you
need government intervention for whatever reason.
4.
You
are advised to engage a reputable law firm and an accounting firm. This helps
you to overcome legal pitfalls and taxation issues. Do not enter into land
acquisition agreement without the benefit of legal advice. Your partnership
agreements in particular should be drawn by a lawyer, local or international.
You should be able to get discounted rates from law firms and accounting firms.
I know some do not charge commercial rates for charities.
5.
Before
entering into binding partnerships with local partners, NGO are encouraged to
undertake a vetting process of the partners through the embassy and verification
with local authorities as to the character and authenticity of activities
claimed to be undertaken by local NGOs or individuals. Such vetting should
include references from local authorities where the local partner claims to be
operating. Such vetting process is crucial to minimize incidences of individual
acting in bad faith or who pretending to be doing charitable work but in the
event they set out to enrich themselves. I am saying this because we have seen
such cases increase in the last year, where local partners are in dispute with
foreign partners to the detriment of those intended to benefit from the
activities of the NGO.
6.
Any
successful Partnership needs to have one person in charge. So, the decision of
who is responsible for day-to-day activities of the NGO needs to be made early
on, and everyone in the partnership needs to be 100 percent clear of their
roles, duties, and responsibilities. We are for example, aware of local
partners charged with the responsibility of securing work permits for
volunteers but abdicating the responsibility and blaming it on the US partner.
7. A partnership, like marriage, requires a
pre-nup. NGOS entering into partnership with local NGOs or individuals seem to
have very loose arrangement. Sometimes there is only a gentlemen’s agreement.
Sometimes there is a very insufficient document not detailing the
responsibilities of each party or what happens in the event of a dispute or if
they decide to part company and to go their separate ways. Having legal counsel
will address such issues and minimize disputes.
8. And finally, I would propose that you may
consult among yourselves and look into possibility of establishing some form of
a networking vehicle here, in the US, which will have the mandate to speak for
you as a group, on issues that you would like the
Government to attend to. Speaking in one voice should offer you good leverage
on issues that affect you and the way you deliver your services in Tanzania.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, Dear Friends of Tanzania,
It is challenging to cover all important areas in
one day. But as you can see from our program we have targeted NGO registration
process, immigration, Tanzania Revenue Authority, Ministry of Health, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and our Embassy. There is a
presentation on the Five Year Development Plan to offer an insight where NGOs
may choose to focus. You will hear from the presenter that the Government did
anticipate NGO and private sector participation in executing the Development
Plan. You will also hear from representatives of the US Department of State,
the Peace Corps and the USAID.
After each presentation there will be an opportunity
for questions and after the morning session and the afternoon session there is
time allotted for general discussion.
And finally, I would like to invite all participants
to a cocktail reception at Tanzania House after concluding the discussions. It
is a small act of appreciation for your commitment to Tanzania. KARIBUNI
SANA.
Once again I thank you for your attention. AHASNTENI SANA.
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