MHE. MCHEMBA AONGOZA UJUMBE WA TANZANIA KATIKA BUNGE LA PAMOJA LA ACP NA JUMUIYA YA ULAYA
MHE. MCHEMBA AJIBU MASWALI KATIKA KIKAO CHA BUNGE LA PAMOJA LA ACP NA JUMUIYA YA ULAYA
Naibu Waziri wa Fedha (Sera) Mhe. Mwigulu Mchemba akijibu maswali
mbalimbali katika Bunge la Pamoja la Afrika, Karibiani na Pacific (ACP)
na Jumuiya ya Ulaya leo jijini Strasbourg Ufaransa. 
QUESTION 1
by Horst Schnellhardt
Subject: Situation in South Sudan
Since the outbreak of violence in South Sudan, some 200 000 people have
been displaced from the crisis areas. The continuing fighting is hampering aid
organisations' efforts to get to people in distress. A humanitarian disaster
could be triggered if epidemics break out among refugees. However, the delaying
tactics displayed by the warring parties at the peace negotiations prompt
concerns that no-one is genuinely interested in a quick agreement.
1. Are efforts currently being made to work towards free humanitarian
access in the areas controlled by the two warring parties?
2. What action is planned in order to increase pressure so that the
peace negotiations advance?
Response
This is a very pertinent question and I thank you for the concern about
the humanitarian situation in South Sudan. This is the youngest country in
Africa, and when it became independent two years ago, we were all full of hope
and optimism that its people, who have endured so much suffering over the past
three decades, could embark on a process of nation building and development.
The ACP Council does not have structures or instruments on the ground
for direct intervention in crisis. Our role is to political support the efforts
of the UN, African Union Commission, Regional organisations such as IGAD which
has been instrumental in this case, as well as individual Member States of the
African Union to resolve the crisis and assist in addressing the humanitarian
crisis.
What is of utmost importance to
the ACP Council is that these international efforts are supported, especially
with regard to providing security to relief teams and humanitarian supplies.
QUESTION 2
by Mariya Gabriel
Subject: Reducing maternal mortality and infant mortality in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
On 13 December 2013, the DRC Government announced an investment of USD
51.4 million to fund a project to equip health facilities. That should make it
possible to speed up efforts to realise MDGs 4 and 5.
– What support can the
Member States and the EU give DRC in actually implementing this major
government-launched programme?
– How is the DRC Government
planning to coordinate its partners' efforts to reduce maternal mortality and infant
mortality?
– In addition to
infrastructure, is provision being made for appropriate training in using the
new equipment?
Response
First of all, the ACP Council would like to congratulate the Government
of the Republic of Congo for undertaking this initiative, which is important
for the realisation of the health related MDGs. The Council has often stated
that although the international community can provide assistance to our member
states in this and many other areas, the primary responsibilities for
promulgating the appropriate programmes, taking into account the particular
needs of their own countries lies with ACP Governments themselves.
This project does not only cover equipment, it also includes the
infrastructure for that equipment. The idea is to renovate or rebuild certain
infrastructure before installing the equipment. In addition to equipment and
infrastructure, the Government is also using this project to finance the
procurement of medication for health service structures and to train health
care personnel, not only to ensure the proper use of all the resources made
available to them, but also to enable them to provide quality health care to
the populations under their responsibility.
On behalf of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo I would
like the Member States of the European Union (EU) to do two things in terms of
support. The first is to bring the financial resources allocated to the
country's health sector in line with the priorities. The second thing that the
Government would like is an increase in the external aid that the EU allocates
to the health sector in order to help it to quickly extend quality health care
services for women and children to the entire country.
QUESTION 3
by Olle Schmidt
Subject: Freedom of speech in ACP states
Freedom of speech is still a major issue in many ACP
states. The African Union, the African
Commission on Human and People’s Rights and the United Nations all stress the
importance of freedom of speech for political and social development.
Twenty-eight journalists are currently imprisoned in
Eritrea, one of whom, Dawit Isaak, is an EU citizen. Does the ACP Council have any news concerning Mr
Isaak’s fate?
How will the ACP Council uphold the rule of law and the
right to habeas corpus for Mr Isaak
and for all political prisoners who have been imprisoned in ACP states without
trial?
Response
The ACP
Group believes that free speech facilitates democratic governance. The free flow of information and ideas is essential to healthy,
progressive societies, and that free expression is central to all other freedoms.
As the Council has stated at
previous occasions, freedom of speech is one area that is fraught with
difficulties in its application, and furthermore, the ACP Council has not
assumed legal competence to adopt any measures for the promotion of media
freedoms in its member States. While
there are generally acceptable principles for good governance, press freedom
and other civil liberties, there are jurisdictional issues involved.
Many of the international
instruments adopted by regional organizations are merely best practice measures
with persuasive and not legally enforceable obligations in many countries.
Mr Schmidt, as the current President-in-Office of the ACP Council, I am
aware of your keen interest in the plight of prisoners, and that you have been
asking this question a lot of times. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to
give the answer that you would like to hear. The ACP Council would like to
state that it has no jurisdiction or competence to take measures against or in
any member State of the Group. ACP states retain their full sovereignty over
their internal and external policies.
Nevertheless, the Council would like to advise that the best way to
approach this issue is through the African Commission on Human and People’s
Rights, which is an organ of the African Union. Further, as with any case where
the human rights of individuals are concerned, we must use all the diplomatic
channels with the Government of Eritrea on this matter.
QUESTION 4
by Michael Cashman
Subject: Key year for sexual and reproductive health and rights
The
Council of the EU has acknowledged that progress on sexual and reproductive
health and rights (SRHR) is essential to human rights and equitable
development. It has continuously and strongly
supported the target of achieving universal access to reproductive health as
established in Millennium Development Goal 5b, as well as the entire agenda of
the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action
(1994). 2014 will be a crucial year, as the International Conference on
Population and Development will be renegotiated. Do both Councils agree that
this renegotiation must reaffirm that SRHR are fundamental human rights and are
key to the continuing development of both EU and ACP states?
Response
The ACP Council recognizes the strategic importance of access of sexual
and reproductive health care including family planning. This includes pre-and
post natal care and safe delivery, prevention and treatment of infertility and
STDs including HIV and AIDS, access to contraceptives, reducing the recourse to
unsafe abortions and comprehensive sexual education.
The ACP Council re iterates that access and affordability of health
services and quality medicines to all, constitute fundamental human rights, as
their inadequacy, results in major constraints in addressing sexual and
reproductive health and rights among others.
Indeed, the prevailing incidences of maternal mortality in many ACP
Countries, underlines the need to provide adequate basic health services and
education to both men and women of reproductive age.
To this end, the ACP Council welcomes the upcoming renegotiations of the
International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action with
the hope that, access and affordability of health services and quality
medicines, will be highlighted as fundamental for universal health coverage,
including sexual and reproductive health and rights.
BUKOBAWADAU
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