Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
Tanzanian peacekeepers repatriated from CAR following sexual abuse allegations
The United Nations announced Friday that it would repatriate an entire unit of 60 peacekeepers from Tanzania, which was based in the western part of the Central African Republic (CAR), following serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Tanzania is one of the countries contributing troops to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), established on April 10, 2014, following the deterioration of the country’s security, humanitarian, human rights, and political situation.
On Friday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists that the Secretariat in New York had decided to send the unit home following consultations with the MINUSCA.
“The decision comes after a preliminary investigation which found credible evidence that 11 unit members had allegedly engaged in sexual exploitation and abuse of four victims,” Mr Dujarric said.
Full story here.
Michael Shirima, the founder of Precision Air, dies aged 80
Michael Shirima, one of Tanzania’s celebrated entrepreneurs and businessmen, died on Friday at the Aga Khan Hospital in the city, where he was admitted on June 8, 2023.
In a death announcement, his family described Shirima as “an inspirational and a leader to many,” promising to “forever cherish his life.”
Mr Shirima was a Tanzanian businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He was the founder and chairman of Precision Air, Tanzania’s only private airline. He was also the founder and proprietor of Cornel Ngaleku Children Centre in northern Tanzania.
On Saturday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan led Tanzanians in mourning the passing of Mr Shirima, describing him as an essential person in Tanzania’s airline business and other social functions.
Full story here.
Stakeholders review Tanzania’s implementation status on SDGs
Representatives from the government, private sector, and civil societies gathered here on June 8, 2023, to validate Tanzania’s 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Implementation Report, also known as Voluntary National Reviews (VNR), which will be presented to the United Nations later this year.
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) accepted Tanzania to report to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, the central United Nations platform, to follow up and review the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals in July 2023.
Organised by the Ministry of Finance, the multi-sectorial meeting is part of a nationwide process that oversees the implementation, monitoring, tracking, and reporting of SDGs in Tanzania.
Officiating the meeting on Thursday, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Jenifa Omolo, said the government wanted to invite stakeholders so that they can see what the government intends to present to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in July.
“So, If there are any concerns about the report’s content, this is the right time to say and suggest improvements,” said Omolo. “But it also helps to know what important things have not been included.”
Full story here.
New AfDB funding to drive job creation for youth in Zanzibar’s blue economy
The African Development Bank Group and the government of Tanzania have launched the Skills Development for Youth Employability in Blue Economy project to enable Zanzibari youth to find well-paying maritime and other blue economy jobs.
AfDB is providing grant financing of $48.65 million for the project, with the Tanzanian government contributing an additional $5.42 million. Both parties signed the grant agreement on November 21, 2022, with its official launch on May 17, 2023.
AfDB said on Saturday that the project would benefit about 43,000 youth, 40 per cent female, and prepare over 1,500 of them to start their enterprises. They will be able to improve their livelihoods and spur the creation of new jobs.
Ocean-based activities, including tourism, contribute more than 29 per cent of Zanzibar’s gross domestic product and employ about 33 per cent of its workforce. At the same time, 60 per cent of island tourism workers are foreign.
Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi launched the project during a ceremony held at the Golden Tulip Hotel near Zanzibar Airport. Ministers, permanent secretaries, and other senior government officials, as did representatives of civil society and youth-led organisations, attended the ceremony.
The Skills Development for Youth Employability in Blue Economy project will support the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) expansion by constructing a technology and business incubator at Unguja.
The incubator will offer training and mentorship to young entrepreneurs, bolstering job creation in tourism, the maritime sectors, and the oil and gas industry. Approximately 400 SUZA academics and lecturers will receive new skills and training.
The project will also help upgrade the Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), which will offer courses relating to the oil and gas industries. In addition, the project will support the construction of five vocational training centres in Unguja and Pemba.
The project is aligned with Zanzibar’s 2021 Education Policy and the Blue Economy Strategy.
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