Wednesday, May 15, 2013

DRAFT KEYNOTE SPEECH BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AKAFUMBA R. JOSEPHS DURING THE OPENING OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM REVIEW AND PLANNING WORKSHOP HELD AT CRESTA GOLF VIEW HOTEL ON 9TH MAY 2013 9TH MAY, 2013 LUSAKA ZAMBIA


REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
DRAFT KEYNOTE SPEECH
BY
THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AKAFUMBA R. JOSEPHS DURING THE OPENING OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM REVIEW AND PLANNING WORKSHOP HELD AT CRESTA GOLF VIEW HOTEL ON 9TH MAY 2013
9TH MAY, 2013
LUSAKA
ZAMBIA

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APRM NATIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON;
 THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNANCE DEPARTMENT;
 CIVIL SOCIETIES REPRESENTATIVES;
 DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; AND
 MASTER OF CEREMONIES;
 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
IT IS AN HONOUR FOR ME TO OFFICIATE AT THIS AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM CIVIL SOCIETY PLANNING AND REVIEW WORKSHOP. GOVERNMENT APPRECIATES YOUR ROLE IN THE APRM PROCESS SINCE THE COUNTRY’S ACCESSION TO THE APRM IN 2006.
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE APRM HAS ENDEAVORED TO PROMOTE PEER LEARNING AND SHARING OF BEST PRACTICES IN GOOD GOVERNANCE WITH THE VIEW TO APPLYING PEER PRESSURE ON THE LEADERS. THE EFFECT IS MEANT TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF AFRICAN LEADERS THROUGH THE STRUCTURE OF THE HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT APRM FORUM.
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IN THIS REGARD, I AM PLEASED TO STATE THAT ZAMBIA WAS SUCCESSFULLY PEER REVIEWED AT THE LAST APRM FORUM OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT HELD ON JANUARY 26TH 2013 IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA.
AT THAT OCCASION, ZAMBIA WAS REMINDED OF THE MANY GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES FACING THE COUNRTY. AT THE SAME TIME, OTHER AFRICAN LEADERS RECOGNIZED THE EFFORTS TAKEN BY ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES FACING OUR COUNTRY.
BECAUSE OF THE APRM, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE PF GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS COMMON AFRICAN PROBLEMS WHICH NOT ONLY EXIST IN ZAMBIA SUCH AS POVERTY, HIV/AIDS, LAND DISPUTES, CORRUPTION, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR THE POOR AND THE VULNERABLE INCLUDING THE NEED TO INCREASE THE PROVISION OF SOCIO AND ECONOMIC GOODS.
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DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
TODAY’S AFRICAN SOCIETIES EXPECT A LOT FROM THEIR LEADERSHIP. SOCIETIES ARE NO LONGER TOLERANT OF BAD GOVERNANCE PRACTICES WHICH MOST HAVE DEBILITATING EFFECTS. IN VIEW OF THAT FACT THE PF GOVERNMENT THROUGH HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, MR. MICHAEL CHILUFYA SATA IS MINDFUL THAT THERE IS NEED TO MEET THE PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS. THIS IS WHY THE PF GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO INVEST PRUDENTLY IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT REALIZES THAT IT STILL NEEDS TO DO MORE IN ADDRESSING UNDERDEVELOPMENT, POVERTY, AND MANY OTHER SOCIAL DEPRIVATIONS THAT BEDEVIL OUR COUNTRY. THUS THROUGH THE APRM, THE PARADIGM THAT LINKS POVERTY REDUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH POLITICAL AND DEMOCRACTIC GOVERNANCE NEEDS TO BE HARNESSED. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT OUR PEOPLE MAY ENJOY THE FULL BENEFITS OF THE APRM.
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DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO BE PROUDLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE APRM BECAUSE IT IS A TRULY ORGANIC AND HOME GROWN AFRICAN INITIATIVE. IT MAKES US PROUD AS AFRICANS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE FIRST TIME DEVELOPED A CONCEPT OF OUR OWN WHICH DOES NOT IMPOSE CONDITIONALITIES OR SCORECARDS USUALLY INHERENT IN SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT TOOLS. IF ANYTHING THE APRM PRESENTS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR A COUNTRY TO PROMOTE, ENTRENCH AND ADVANCE GOOD GOVERNANCE STANDARDS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO THE ATTAINMENT OF A COUNTRY’S GOALS.
IT PROVIDES AFRICAN LEADERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE LEVELS OF COMMITMENT IN PROMOTING AND BUILDING A GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS USEFUL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OUR COUNTRY.
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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THE APRM IS NOT SOLELY A GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY; NON STATE ACTORS ALSO HAVE TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION (NPoA). CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN THE APRM PROCESS IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE THE VALIDITY AND LEGITIMACY OF THE PROCESS, AS WELL AS FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THE APRM'S OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION.
TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF APRM, CIVIL SOCIETY MUST PLAN AHEAD – TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES AND EXPLOIT OPPORTUNITIES. I WISH TO REITERATE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT APRM IS A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PROCESS INVOLVING MANY ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS – GOVERNMENT, THE NATIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL, RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, AND MANY CIVIL SOCIETY CONSTITUENCIES. EACH HAS SEPARATE PRIORITIES AND APPROACHES. ACHIEVING THE BEST OUTCOME REQUIRES THAT CIVIL SOCIETY THINK NOT ONLY ABOUT WHAT THE APRM REPORT CONSIDERED BUT SHOULD REFLECT ON HOW TO INFLUENCE THESE VARIOUS PARTICIPANTS AND THE DECISIONS
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THAT MUST BE TAKEN AT KEY STAGES OF THE PROCESS. THEREFORE IT IS VITAL TO SET PRIORITIES AND BUILD ALLIANCES. NO ONE GROUP CAN DO IT ALL. IF APRM IS TO RESULT IN LONG-TERM CHANGE TO THE SYSTEMS OF GOVERNANCE, STAKEHOLDERS MUST SEE IT NOT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS BUT TO BROADEN CONSENSUS BEHIND VARIOUS REFORM PROPOSALS.
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
I AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT MY MINISTRY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NATIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL, AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS JOINED HANDS TO CARRY OUT CONSULTATIVE AND SENSITISATION WORKSHOPS IN ALL PROVINCES. IDEALLY MY MINISTRY WILL COVER ALL THE DISTRICTS IN ZAMBIA IN 2013.
SO FAR, SENSITISATION AND CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN HELD IN SEVEN PROVINCES NAMELY CENTRAL, COPPERBELT, EASTERN, MUCHINGA, NORTHERN, AND NORTH WESTERN, SOUTHERN PROVINCES, COVERING A TOTAL OF THIRTY FIVE DISTRICTS. THE OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE OTHER PROVINCES THAT IS LUAPULA, LUSAKA AND WESTERN WILL BE
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COVERED SOON. THIS WILL HELP TO GET EVERYONE ON BOARD ON APRM ISSUES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THE THRUST OF OUR DISTRICT CONSULTATIVE AND SENSITISATION WORKSHOPS HAS BEEN TO:
 RAISE AWARENESS ON THE APRM AT DISTRICT LEVEL;
 GET INPUTS INTO THE REVISION OF THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION (NPOA) BY THE STAKEHOLDERS BY REQUESTING THEM TO PROPOSE SOLUTIONS FOR ACCELERATED IMPLEMENTATION;
 EXPLORE WAYS OF STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS AMONGST ALL STAKEHOLDERS: THAT IS THE GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC, AND PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE APRM AND THE NPOA; AND
 LASTLY BUT NOT THE LEAST TO DISCUSS FORWARD LOOKING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE THE APRM THROUGH MONITORING AND EVALUATION AT DISTRICT LEVEL.
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT ZAMBIA IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BUT THERE ARE CHALLENGES THAT LAY IN OUR WAY WHICH ARE IMMENSE. WE HAVE TO OVERCOME POVERTY, FIGHT DISEASE AND ILLITERACY,
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REDRESS INSUFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CREATE EMPLOYMENT FOR ALL ZAMBIANS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTHS. THE LOW EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTHS IS A MAJOR CONCERN BECAUSE IT DENIES THE MOST TALENTED SECTION OF OUR SOCIETY THE OPPORTNUITY TO SHOW CASE THE TALENT THAT THEY POSSES.
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
SINCE 2011, A NUMBER OF REFORM PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED THAT PROMOTE INCLUSIVE GROWTH, EQUITY AND INCREASED ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AREAS. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, AND I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT’S LABOUR WILL SOON BEGIN TO BEAR FRUIT. WITH THIS FOUNDATION THAT HAS BEEN SET, ZAMBIA WILL CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. ALSO WITH THIS RENEWED HOPE AND CONFIDENCE, I AM OPTIMISMIC THAT ZAMBIA WILL BE A COUNTRY TO RECKON AS FAR AS ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS CONCERNED.
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DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
IN CONCLUSION, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT I SHOULD THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VARIOUS EFFORTS ON THE APRM PROCESS AND HOPE THAT WITH YOUR STRONG SUPPORT WE CAN CHANGE AND SHAPE THE DESTINY OF OUR BELOVED COUNTRY ZAMBIA.
WITH THESE REMARKS, I DECLARE THE WORKSHOP OFFICIALLY OPEN
I THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS, YOU ALL.

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