AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Tanzanian government has been chosen as President of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Council of Ministers for a six- month term effective from August 1 this year.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Prof Palamagamba Kabudi took over the position from Gambia during an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers held on July 28 this year through videoconferencing.
A press statement issued in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation said that, Tanzania became the President of the Coun cil of Ministers after Tanzanian Ambassador in Brussels Jestas Nyamanga was unanimously endorsed as Chair of the Committee of OACPS Ambassadors in Belgium.
According to OACPS, the minister responsible for the organization’s matters, who is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is automatically becomes the President of the OACPS Council of Ministers.
The decision to choose Tanzania was made by ambassadors from 15 countries from East African Zone in a meeting which was held on July 2 this year and unanimously endorsed by all ambassadors from 79 member states of OACPS through its session held in Brussels on July 14 this year.
Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Deputy Minister , Dr Damas Ndumbaro, on behalf of Prof Kabudi, said his country was well positioned to execute various issues of interest to OACPS member states, including completion of negotiations on a new OACPS-EU Partnership Agreement which is expected to take effect in January next year after the current agreement Cotonou Partnership Agreement expires on December this year.
He said that Tanzania would ensure that interests of the member states were taken into account in the new agreement. “Tanzania is also well organized to oversee the implementation of various strategies of OACPS in fighting the Covid- 19 pandemic and its economic impacts on member countries,” Dr Ndumbaro said.
He further said that Tanzania would also advocate for implementation of various strategic projects and programmes of OACPS, including those being implemented in collaboration with European and other development partners in agriculture, investment, trade entrepreneurship, environment, infrastructure, youth and culture.
Tanzania is taking over the OACPS presidency for the third time since it joined the organization in 1975.
One of the reasons which made Tanzania to be chosen to the position is due to its influence in OACPS, policies and various measures being taken by President John Magufuli in managing various national and international issues and good performance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
