EPA ipo namna ya kukwepa?

[John Mnyika]

Huko ulaya, vuguvugu la wanaharakati linazidi kupamba moto kupinga EU na serikali zao kuingia makubaliano na nchi zinazoitwa masikini chini ya EPA. Huku Afrika na hata kwetu Tanzania mjadala unakwenda kimya kimya. Pamoja na kuwa na kundi la NSA wakiwa na ufadhili wa kutosha wa harakati hizi bado sauti ya wasio na sauti haisikiki kuhusu masuala haya. Huku serikali yetu ikisema kwamba hatutasaini mpaka baada ya mwezi mmoja; huku serikali tayari imeshaini hatua zote za msingi chini ya EAC. Swali la kujiuliza. EPA ipi namna ya kukwepa kunyonywa? Ipi namna ya kuepuka kuendelea kuwa soko holela. Ipi namna ya kuepuka kuendelea kuviza uzalishaji wa ndani? Zipi ni fikra mbadala kuhusu EPA? Tujadili!

JJ

 

[Sura-ya-Kwanza]

Mimi naona nianzie hapa...


PRESS RELEASE




EU CONTRIBUTES 3M EUROS TO NON STATE ACTORS EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME

A new programme to empower Non State Actors in Tanzania is set to be launched today Wednesday 1st November at a signing ceremony between the EC Head of Delegation, Ambassador Frans Baan and the Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary, Mr Gray Mgonja at the Oceanic Hotel in Bagamoyo at 14.30 hrs.

The programme is the result of a year's consultation between the EC Delegation and a broad selection of Non State Actors (NSAs) who came together to devise a plan to strengthen policy dialogue between Government and NSAs. The programme will focus on the capacity of NSAs to effectively contribute to the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development policies and processes at all levels. It seeks to give NSAs better skills to engage with government so that a wider participation in the national development processes can be realized by Tanzanian citizens. This will in turn foster a greater culture of accountability, transparency and civic responsiveness to the national development agenda.

The EC is contributing 3m Euros (equivalent to approximately 4.5 bn TZS) to the programme which will be used towards achieving four main objectives within the three years of implementation:

Institutional and technical capacity building of NSAs to engage more effectively with government, Parliament and International Development Partners. Training will be offered to address the capacity needs which include organisational management as well as methodological skills. Particular attention will be paid to NSAs operating at regional and district level that do not have access to such facilities due to their distances from urban centres.

Improving communication and access to information to enhance collaboration and networking among NSAs. A policy resource centre will be set up in Dar es Salaam which will establish strategic links with existing networks in the regions to ensure the involvement of NSAs outside the main urban centres. This centre in Dar es Salaam will not only gather information but also ensure its accessibility to the public.

Consolidating mechanisms to facilitate engagement and structure dialogue between NSAs and Government. The aim is to improve the quality of dialogue between Government and NSAs. A Code of Conduct (rules of engagement) will be discussed and proposed to serve as a framework for more structured and effective dialogue. The discussions around the Code of Conduct will consider issues such as collaboration instead of competition between NSAs, internal accountability and the need to prove legitimacy through continuous self-assessment. A potential strength of the programme is that it will provide a forum for private sector and civil society groups as well as trade unions to interact more closely and explore the benefits of stronger collaboration and coordination.

Creating conditions for NSAs to fully participate in the programming, implementation and monitoring of EC supported programmes. Tripartite meetings between NSAs, EC and Government will explore ways of structuring NSA involvement in the programming, implementation and monitoring of EC cooperation.

The programme has been drawn up by a special Task Force of NSAs that was mandated in Kunduchi in February 2005 by a forum of over hundred and ten organisations from private sector and civil society and trade unions from both the mainland and Zanzibar. During the two day seminar at the Oceanic Hotel on Tuesday 31st October and 1st November 2006, the Task Force reported back to a similar forum of over hundred forty organisations on how they fulfilled their mandate, their achievements and presented the NSA Support Programme.

The achievements of the NSA Task Force include eight zonal seminars held across the country on the history and current nature of EC-Tanzanian cooperation, the Cotonou Agreement and the role of NSAs. The launch of the NSA website which provides information on the Cotonou Agreement, EC-ACP cooperation and the role of NSAs with regards in the development process. The site (www.nsatz.org) also contains an interactive NSA database. It allows for voluntary registration of formal organisations. The information on these organisations is accessible to the public.

Background Notes

What is the Cotonou Agreement

In 2000 a group of countries from Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region, including Tanzania signed an agreement with the European Union called the Cotonou Partnership Agreement. The agreement covers development cooperation, trade and political dialogue between the two parties. One of the major innovations of the Agreement is its emphasis on providing scope for more involvement of Non State Actors in development processes and policy dialogue. NSAs are recognised as important contributors to the strengthening of democratic processes, the creation of opportunities, and the reduction of poverty. To this end, the agreement stipulates that NSAs be strengthened to engage in a more informed and competent manner in national development agendas.

What are NSAs

The Cotonou Agreement defines NSAs as being the private sector, economic and social partners, including trade unions and civil society in all its forms according to the national characteristics.





*Source:The European Commission's Delegation

 

[Sura-ya-Kwanza]

Mtizamo wangu...kwenye kijani

"Huko ulaya, vuguvugu la wanaharakati linazidi kupamba moto kupinga EU na serikali zao kuingia makubaliano na nchi zinazoitwa masikini chini ya EPA. Huku Afrika na hata kwetu Tanzania mjadala unakwenda kimya kimya. Pamoja na kuwa na kundi la NSA wakiwa na ufadhili wa kutosha wa harakati hizi bado sauti ya wasio na sauti haisikiki kuhusu masuala haya."

Hapa nikujiuliza sasa hizi billioni 4.5 zitawafiia walengwa? Ukizingatia walengwa ndio sisi tunaojadili kwa manufaa ya Nchi yetu!
Kama tunavyoanza kulijadili hili humu nafikiri tupewe angalau vikombe vya kahawa kutoka kwenye huo mfuko.

"Huku serikali yetu ikisema kwamba hatutasaini mpaka baada ya mwezi mmoja;"

Ufadhili na hiyo programme inasema hata mpaka miaka mitatu au? Kwanini serikali ikae kimya na mfuko huo wakati kinyemela inafanya haya makubaliano Guess what? there is 4.5 billion at stake here!

"Huku serikali tayari imeshaini hatua zote za msingi chini ya EAC."
Ni kweli tumeshafanya hivyo kwa kutumia EAC na namba zinatisha...
Makubaliano hayo yalifikiwa Uganda na utaona ni jinsi gani tutakavyo nyonywa. Kama nchi za EAC tunatakiwa tuwe tumeshafungua masoko yetu kwa bidhaa za EU baada ya miaka 25!
Wakati huo huo wanataka kuona kwamba bidhaa za Ulaya yote...yaani asilimia 82% za biashara za nje za Ulaya zisambazwe EAC katika miaka 15, sasa sijui ni miaka ya kwanza katika hiyo 25 au ya mwisho wa hiyo ishirini na tano lakini awali kumesha ulizwa humu...Does it mean EAC markets in 15 years, will be able to consume 82% of the EU exports? sina jibu hata!

Swali la kujiuliza. EPA ipi namna ya kukwepa kunyonywa? Ipi namna ya kuepuka kuendelea kuwa soko holela. Ipi namna ya kuepuka kuendelea kuviza uzalishaji wa ndani? Zipi ni fikra
mbadala kuhusu EPA? Tujadili!
Nafikiri nimegusia kwenye maswali yako...Kukwepa kunyonywa inabidi Serikali yetu iwahusishe NSA ASAP! Kuepuka kuwa soko holela...sio rahisi kuepuka! na hilo kuviza? naomba unieleweshe zaidi na swali hili...Ipi namna ya kuepuka kuendelea 'kuviza' uzalishaji wa ndani?


Kwa kweli if the negotiations are occuring and characterised within Common interests,compromise, and criteria kujenga bargainig power basi hata wajukuu wetu watasema tulikuwa na Vision!
But, What are our bargainig powers in Tanzania when it comes to a huge economic bloc like EU? Basil Mramba yuko wapi atueleze tufanyeje as NSA's na Bwana Gray Mgonja tunaomba utayarishe per diem ya wachangiaji wa mdahalo huu!