ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE, COMRADE R.G. MUGABE ON THE STATE BANQUET IN HONOUR OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA HIS EXCELLENCY JAKAYA KIKWETE, BULAWAYO 27 TH APRIL 2006

Your Excellency President Jakaya Kikwete,

Honourable Vice-President Joseph Msika, Honourable Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Baba Mujuru,

Honourable Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku and Mai

Chidyausiku,

Honourable Speaker of Parliament, Comrade John Nkomo, Honourable President of the Senate, Mai Edna Madzongwe,

Honourable Ministers here present,

The Resident Minister of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province,

Comrade Cain Mathema,

Honourable Members of the Senate and Parliament, Members of President Kikwete's Delegation,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Comrades and Friends.

On behalf of the Government and people of Zimbabwe and on my own behalf, I have great pleasure to welcome you, Your Excellency, and your esteemed delegation to Zimbabwe. Karibu!

Your visit, though brief, takes place barely four months after your inauguration as the fourth President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Hence, we feel privileged that in spite of your busy schedule, you were able to find time to be with us today and to also officiate at this year's edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. Your visit is also significant because it provides us with an opportunity to further consolidate our revolutionary and fraternal relations thus giving us greater scope to further strengthen sector­ specific relations in the political, economic, social and cultural spheres.

Your Excellency,

I had occasion to congratulate you on your Party's and your own victory in the elections held in your country last December. Let me also once more congratulate you upon your assumption of the stewardship of your great country in the capacity of Head of State. Your election is a sign of the confidence the people of Tanzania have in the Chama Cha Mapinduzi, in your leadership qualities, and in your ability to continue the legacy of your predecessors to take Tanzania to new heights.

Dear Brother and Colleague,

We are aware that only yesterday, you celebrated your first Union Day as President of Tanzania. In Zimbabwe, we derive inspiration from that unity in that it enabled the Government and people of the United Republic of Tanzania to provide the Liberation Movements of the region, including ours, with a solid platform and a reliable launch pad for our struggles for independence and self-determination. The people of Tanzania have maintained the exemplary Pan Africanist stance as espoused by the founding father of your great nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. It is gratifying to note that this Pan Africanist tradition has become the hallmark of your country's relations with not only your neighbours in the region but also those throughout the continent. We are happy, Your Excellency, that our partnership is built on this solid foundation. Indeed, we are grateful to note that Tanzania has consistently supported us when our efforts to empower our people economically through the Land Reform Programme drew ire and vilification from our erstwhile colonizers.

Comrade President,

I am pleased to note that since our Independence, bilateral cooperation between our two countries has continued to strengthen in such areas as trade, agriculture, education, information exchange, mining and energy. Exchanges of visits and ideas in these areas have allowed our officials to share information that should enhance our economic cooperation. With the completion of our Land Reform Programme, we believe that we can share experiences and expertise in agriculture, especially, in improving irrigation capacities and fertiliser production. I believe this would go a long way towards increasing agricultural production for our food security even during those times when we experience droughts. Further, there is the prospect of establishing joint ventures in agro-processing industries in order to add value to our agricultural produce. Your visit of some pavilions of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair will afford you an opportunity to see what this country is capable of producing.

Comrade President,

Today, both our countries continue to face an uphill battle in efforts to emancipate our people economically in order to reduce poverty -and achieve economic development. In this regard, our bilateral trade and cooperation remain a powerful vehicle for facilitating development. It is therefore necessary that our officials speed up the finalisation of the Preferential Trade Agreement and the setting up of the Joint Trade and Industrial Committee that we have agreed upon. This Committee is expected to coordinate cooperation in the area of industry as well as explore possibilities of joint ventures. Furthermore, I call on our business sectors to explore areas of improving trade and to facilitate the conclusion of joint ventures which will contribute to the creation of jobs and wealth for the benefit of our countries and peoples.

Comrade President and Dear Brother,

To complement the above efforts, it is important that the long-awaited Joint Commission Session be held in order to review what we have achieved so far in our programmes and to identify new areas of cooperation. In addition, it is also important that our officials finalise the negotiations on the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement.

Your Excellency,

Your visit comes at a time when we are making efforts as Government to put in place an enabling environment that will stimulate growth in our economy. Our initiatives in support of the productive and export sectors have increased output in the mining, manufacturing, agriculture and construction sectors. As you are aware, Your Excellency, Zimbabwe like other countries in the region has experienced frequent droughts over the last few years. The 2004/2005 season as well as the preceding one were not so bountiful and Government intervened to ensure food security in the short and long terms. Thankfully, this season had good rains and we are optimistic that we will get improved harvests that will also provide a boost to our agro- based economy.

Your Excellency,

You are not a stranger to regional and international issues since you served your country well as its topmost diplomat for a decade. Thus the vexing current issues of peace, stability and development in Africa are familiar territory to you.

Indeed, as the first chair of the Frontline States, and a founding member of SADC, Tanzania has helped keep the organisation on course. It is our hope that when the SADC Trade Protocol and the other economic processes come into effect our region will be in a position to effectively address the questions of poverty and under-development. We are also convinced that as usual, Tanzania, as a member of the SADC Troika, will safeguard the interests of the region.

Your Excellency,

We commend the sterling role Tanzania continues to play in the Great Lakes Region. The forthcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are also testimony to your efforts at achieving peace in the region. We call upon all parties in the DRC to make use of this opportunity to lay a lasting foundation for peace and democracy in that great country, even as we urge the international community to assist the process to its finality. A peaceful Democratic Republic of the Congo bodes well for both the region and the entire continent.

Furthermore, Your Excellency, through the Peace and Security Council, Africa should harness her efforts in order to solve the problems between Sudan and Chad. The situation in Chad is deteriorating and our collective challenge should be to avert an outbreak of civil war in that country. With Chad being host to numerous refugees from Darfur, the outbreak of a war would exacerbate the situation and have a destabilising effect in that region. Your Excellency, on the international level, our two countries share a common vision and similar aspirations, particularly on the reform of the United Nations. We are guided by the common African position enunciated in the Ezulwini Consensus. Thus, it is our abiding view that the United Nations should reflect the vision and aspirations of all countries regardless of size or economic stature. We refuse to support cosmetic changes which will not bring genuine benefit to the generality of Africans and which will leave the question of UN reform on the organisation's agenda for years to come.

I would like to conclude by assuring you, Your Excellency, of Zimbabwe's support as you take up the onerous responsibility of leading your country. I wish you Comrade President and Dear Colleague, all the best as you steer your great country to success and prosperity. With these remarks,' I now wish to propose a toast: to the good health and long life of President Jakaya Kikwete; to continued friendship, solidarity and close cooperation between Zimbabwe and Tanzania; to peace, prosperity and the well being of our two peoples.

Asante sana!

I thank you.