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STATEMENT MADE BY THE MODEST J. MERO, MINISTER
PLENIPOTENTIARY, UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA TO THE
UNITED NATIONS DURING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
PREPARATORY SESSION OF THE 19 SESSION OF COMMISSION
ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: NEW YORK, 2nd MARCH
2011, NEW YORK
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Delegates,
Tanzanian delegation wish es to congratulate the Chairman of CSD 19 Intergovernmental
Preparatory Meeting for excellent preparations. We also wish to
appreciate the statement made by the UN Under Secretary General of DESA, H.E.
Sha Zukang for a very incisive opening statement.
Tanzania wishes to align to the statement made by the Group 77 and China.
Mr. Chairman,
The benefits of mining for many countries, in particular developing countries
cannot be over emphasised, it is a source of revenue to developing countries,
employment and well being. Yet, the main challenge that Tanzania face lies in
the local capacity to extract the mineral resources. This is because of lack of the
financial and technological capacity for mineral extraction, often concede to
skewed mineral development contracts, which not only undermine the
sovereignty of nations over their resources, but also result in wholesale mining
development and unfair returns for governments, who are often left with the
social and environmental burdens associated with mining.
To draw policy options for Managing Mining industry, we believe it is important to
underline the Principle 2 of Rio Declaration which states that States have, in
accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of
international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their
own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that
activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment
of its own and of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.
We also would like to emphasize that managing resources and revenue accrue from
it must be exercised in the interest of their national development and of the wellbeing
of the people of the State concerned.
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Mr. Chairman,
Tanzania?s New Mining Policy of 2009 as an instrument intends to balance the
interests of different stakeholders in the Mining sector.
In Tanzania, it is estimated that about 1,000,000 citizens are fully or partly engaged
in Artisanal and Small Scale Mining. This is regarded as positive in terms of
provision of alternative livelihood, income generation and poverty alleviation
particularly to the rural community.
However, Artisanal Small Scale Mining is facing a number of challenges including,
but not limited to:-
1. poor technology resulting into poor recovery, environmental degradation,
poor health and unsafe working environment to the key players;
2. absence of effective and efficient organizational systems to the ASM (informal
management systems);
3. lack of financial support schemes;
4. absence of transparent and fare market arrangements
Mr. Chairman,
My delegation understands that these constraints are not specific to Tanzania but
they are global. The Government of Tanzania is set to address these challenges
through the implementation of the recently adopted Mining Policy of 2009 and they
are also taken on board in the Mining Legislations that was enacted in April, 2010.
In this process Tanzania :-
· will designate special mining areas for Artisanal Scale Mining (ASM) and the
government is looking into ways of doing resource assessment and
environmental impact assessment for these areas, through its Institutions
(e.g. the Geological Survey of Tanzania and the State Mining Corporation)
and set mitigation measures since the ASM do not have the capacity to do so;
· has scaled up extension services to ASM through provision of on the site
training and demonstrations of good practises;
· Is looking into ways of setting a sustainable mechanism of providing financial
support to ASM either through micro credit facilities (SACCOS) or other
effective financial arrangements. Currently the Government has set aside a
total of 2.0 billion Tanzanian shillings to assist in a form of soft loan to
establish equipment hire purchase facilities for small scale miners;
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· is set to initiate mineral trade fares particularly for gemstones to provide fare
and reliable markets for ASM mineral commodities as well as scaling up
value addition (gem-cutting and jewellery) in the country;
Mr. Chairman,
In the new policy it is categorically stated that shares of indigenous in the joint
ventures for gemstone mining should be not less that 50% in total and this is an
attempt to enhance cooperation between local and foreign investors, to facilitate
transfer of technology and to increase benefits to the local community.
In administering the Large Scale Mining operations, among other things, Tanzania is
insisting that issues of:-
· Environmental Impact Assessment,
· participation of mining companies in Community Development Programs,
· strategies for procurement of goods and services locally, and
· compensation and re-settlement plans
These should be incorporated in the Project write-ups prior to commencement of
mining and these should be done in consultation with the Government and the
communities to insure that interests of all parties are taken on board. It is further
emphasized that environmental rehabilitation strategies be incorporated in the
mining closure plans.
In doing so it is expected that mining will be integrated to the community and most
of the negative perceptions towards the industry would be addressed.
Mr. Chairman,
To conclude, we support IGF initia tives of which we are actively engaged and look
forward for positive conclusion of this preparatory meeting in shaping durable
policy interventions in the mining sector.
Thank you for your attention.
