Zimbabwe committed to humanitarian cause: Minister Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE strongly supports the operationalisation of the African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA) and is fully committed to the humanitarian cause, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

The African Union (AU) and its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), have for a long-time sought ways to effectively deal with humanitarian crises on the continent.

Organisation of African Unity (OAU)

The Constitutive Act of the continental body takes cognisance of the fact that the scourge of conflicts in Africa constitute a major impediment to the socio-economic development and transformation of Africa.

It also recognises the need to promote peace, security and stability as prerequisites for the implementation of Africa’s long-term development and integration agenda.

The rationale for the agency is premised on the 2016 Common African Position on Humanitarian Effectiveness in Africa (CAPHEA).

 

The agency is expected to deal with cross-cutting issues relating to humanitarian situation in Africa.

In a statement delivered at the Extraordinary Summit on Humanitarian Affairs and Donor Conference at Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said in order to ensure sustainability of the AfHA and its operations, it is critical for member states to find innovative ways to raise resources beyond the traditional international partners.

“We are confident that the proposed measures in the Declaration will enhance efforts to come-up with a sustainable resources mobilisation mechanism to effectively address some of the perennial humanitarian challenges. In this regard, Zimbabwe strongly supports the operationalisation of the African Humanitarian Agency,” she said.

“In order to ensure sustainability of the African Humanitarian Agency and its operations, it will be imperative to find innovative ways to raise resources beyond the traditional international partners.

What is also important is to unpack the programmes and resources required in the immediate, medium and long-term.”

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the programmes will enable Africa to come up with a manageable strategy to raise the required resources given competition for resources globally.

“In conclusion, I would like to assure you that Zimbabwe is fully committed to the humanitarian cause and the issue of our pledge is receiving serious consideration,” she said.

The Assembly of the African Union in its Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.604 (XXVI) of 30 January 2016, called for the establishment of AfHA to spearhead Africa’s humanitarian action.

In the same decision, the assembly called on the commission to carry out a study on the modalities for the operationalisation of the agency, considering its structural and institutional requirements, financial and legal implications.

The study was launched in October 2018.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the situation of refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons in Africa requires sincere and co-ordinated efforts given the complex factors affecting the continent such as violent extremism, terrorism, political and economic crises, adverse impact of climate change and natural disasters, health emergencies such as Ebola and more recently Covid-19.

Ebola

She said Zimbabwe and the sub-region bear testimony to the adverse impact of climate change as evidenced by experiences from Cyclone Idai, Tropical Storm Chalane and Cyclone Eloise in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively.

“In view of the aforementioned, we welcome the call for increased investments in early warning mechanisms at national, regional and continental levels to adequately respond to the natural disasters and extreme weather conditions,” said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.

“On food security and nutrition, we welcome the Declaration’s proposal to identify preventive and adaptive approaches that enable communities to adopt climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture, new technologies and innovation.”

In that regard, said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri, Zimbabwe has put in place programmes aimed at capacitating vulnerable smallholder farmers, especially women.

“These programmes include revitalisation and construction of new irrigation schemes, upgrading water and soil moisture management and water use efficiency,” she said.

Covid-19 cells

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri noted that in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Zimbabwe aligns itself to the call for strengthening the continent’s public health systems to enable them to handle public health emergencies now and in the future, without compromising provision of services to manage other health programmes.

“On a related matter, it is also critically important to invest more resources to strengthen our research institutions and the pharmaceutical industry.

Zimbabwe further welcomes the manufacturing of vaccines within the continent and hopes that more of the vaccines will be sourced from the continent at competitive prices,” she said. – @mashnets.

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