Gavana wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Dkt. Servicus B.Likwelile ambaye pia ni Katibu Mkuu Wizara ya Fedha na Mlipaji Mkuu wa Serikali akitoa tamko lake kwa niaba ya nchi ya Tazania Katika Mkutano wa mwaka wa kundi la Benki ya Maendeleo unaofanyika hapa Mjini Abidjan- Ivory cost. Mkutano huo umeanza rasmi tarehe 25 Mei utaendelea hadi tarehe 29Mei 2015.
STATEMENT BY DR. SERVICUS B. LIKWELILE, PERMANENT SECRETARY, TREASURY AND GOVERNOR FOR THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA AT THE ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE AfDB GROUP HELD IN ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST,
FROM 25TH TO 29TH MAY, 2015
Mr. Chairman of the Board of Governors,
The President of the African Development Bank Group,
Honourable Governors,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the government of the Republic of Ivory Coast and its people for hosting these meetings and for the warm reception and hospitality extended to me and my delegation since our arrival in this Country. I would also like to thank and commend the AfDB Group for the excellent arrangements and facilitations to make these meetings successful. Further, let me thank the Bank for choosing a good theme for this year’s Annual Meetings, which is “Africa and the New Global Landscape”.
2. Mr. Chairman, the 2015 Annual Meetings are especially important for the Bank and all of us for three main reasons: First, during these meetings we will be celebrating fifty years since the Bank was established to serve as the premier Bank in Africa. This year’s Annual Meetings therefore offer us the opportunity to reflect on the work of the Bank over the last fifty years. Looking at the records, it is clear that over the last fifty years, the Bank has performed remarkably well in serving the African continent through financing essential infrastructure projects and provision of policy and legal advice.
These efforts by the Bank have contributed to many important achievements in member states in Africa, including expansion of the road and railway infrastructure networks, water supply, education, energy, health infrastructure and agriculture. We feel very proud of these achievements. I commend the Bank leadership over these years for steering the Bank and African countries to these achievements. Second, the 2015 Annual Meetings are important because this is the last year of implementation of the Millennium Developments Goals (MDGs). The 2015 Annual Meetings offer an important opportunity for the Bank and all of us to see how much progress we have made towards achieving the MDGs.
According to this year’s African Development Report and other reports by the United Nations, many African countries have not been able to achieve the MDGs. The Bank should therefore use the occasion of these meetings to dialogue with member states on how best the Bank can assist countries to do better in future efforts to reduce poverty in Africa. Third, the 2015 Annual Meetings are also important and special because during these meetings, we will elect a new President to lead the Bank over the next five or probably ten years. This Presidential election is especially important for two reasons: first because of the very high leadership standard the current President has set for the Bank. This is a huge challenge for both the Governors who will vote to elect the new President and for the incoming President who will be expected to match the standard set by President Kaberuka. My advice and appeal to the Governors is to vote and elect a President who will further lift the Bank and African Continent to greater heights of success. Second, the 2015 Presidential elections are also particularly important because the incoming President will assume office when there are many and complex economic and social challenges to deal with. For example, poverty remains a major challenge in Africa and governance is still a formidable challenge in many African Countries. At same time, concessional sources of finances to address these challenges are shrinking. The new President will be expected to develop strategies that will enable the Bank to effectively support Africa in dealing with these challenges.
3. Mr. Chairman, during the last ten years, we have witnessed very challenging economic and social shocks namely the 2008 world economic crisises, the 2009 global food shortage crisis, the rapid rise in oil prices, the Arab springs and the emergency of al-Shabaab and Boko Haram in East Africa and Nigeria respectively; and more recently, the outbreak of Ebola in Liberia, Sierra- Leone, and Guinea.
I am happy and proud to note that in each case, the Bank responded very effectively. For example, during the 2008 global financial and food shortage crises, the Bank coordinated and assisted African countries in designing and successfully implementing policies and strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of the crisis. As a result, many African Countries sustained robust growth at an average of 7 percent. The Bank also represented and spoke with loud voice at the G20 meetings to promote Africa’s interest in the Global economy. The recent intervention in the Ebola crisis in the three Western African countries is yet another landmark service by the Bank to African countries. These are some of the major reflections of the able and visionary leadership of President Kaberuka. I want to commend him for successfully lifting the reputation of the Bank to this level.
4. Further, it is also important to note that under the leadership of President Kaberuka, the Bank has introducing several innovative initiatives in order to respond to the ever changing needs of member states. These initiatives include the creation of the Africa50 Fund. The Bank has also granted ADF only countries access to ADB window resources. These initiatives are intended to increase the amount of resources available for member states. However, it is important to note that the success of these initiatives by the Bank depends on our collective support. I would like to urge all Governors to support the Bank on these initiatives. At the same time, I want to commend the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco for offering to host the Headquarters of the Africa50 Fund. Our strong support to the Bank on this initiative is critical in order to enable the Bank to respond effectively to emerging development challenges in Africa.
5. Mr. Chairman, apart from dealing with the crises I have mentioned above, the Bank has also successfully implemented the return of its operations from the temporally relocation offices in Tunis to its traditional Headquarters here in Abidjan. Indeed, this was not a simple task. It involved a lot of careful planning and implementation of the road map. I am happy to note that as we are celebrating the fiftieth birth day of the Bank, most operations are now based in Abidjan. I commend President Kaberuka, his management team and all staff for their commitment to successfully accomplish this task on time. I also want to thank both the Ivorian and Tunisian Governments and all other Governors for supporting and facilitating the return of the Bank’s operations to Abidjan. My Government will continue supporting the Bank whenever necessary.
6. Mr. Chairman, in 2010 we made an important decision to recapitalize the Bank through the Sixth General Capital Increase (GCI-VI). Under the sixth general capital increase of the Bank (GCI-VI), Tanzania has already paid for four installments for its shares. I want to appeal to all Governors to do everything in their powers to ensure that this general capital increase is fully implemented.
7. Lastly Mr. Chairman, as I said, one very important activity of the 2015 Annual Meetings is the election of the new President of the Bank, following the coming to end of Dr. Kaberuka’s second term. Dr. Kaberuka has served the Bank and the African continent with distinction. Many other Governors and I have attempted to enumerate many achievements under his leadership. Indeed, it was an honour and privilege to interact with him in course of our official duties. It is very difficult to find the right words to express our appreciation of his excellent service to the continent. I can only thank him for all the great things he has done and extend to him my best wishes in his next phase of life. Further, I want to conclude my statement by pledging my Government’s full support to the next President of the Bank and the entire management.
Mr. Chairperson and Honorable Governors, I thank you very much for your kind attention.
Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Tuesday, 26th May, 2014
Delivered by: Ingiahedi Mduma
Spokes Person
Ministry of Finance-TZ
Abidjan- Ivory Cost
27th May, 2015.