Thursday, July 19, 2012

SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, DR JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE ALMA SECRETARIAT OFFICE IN DAR ES SALAAM, 18TH JULY, 2012





Your Excellency, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the President of
       the Republic of Liberia;
Honorable Hussein Ali Mwinyi (MP), Minister of
     Health and Social Welfare;
Dr. Rufaro Chatora, Representative of the World
      Health Organization in Tanzania;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

Once again it is my pleasure to welcome you, Madame President, to Tanzania. We thank you very much for accepting my invitation to visit us and agreeing to launch the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) offices.

Ladies and Gentlemen;
As many of you know, Africa is the continent most affected by malaria. The disease accounts for 85 percent of malaria cases and 89 percent of malaria deaths worldwide, the majority being children under five years of age and pregnant women. Malaria also retards economic growth of the continent and over-burdens the already overstretched health care services in most African countries.  In fact, malaria has been estimated to cost Africa at least US Dollars 12 billion every year.  Despite these devastating effects of malaria, the scourge can be prevented, controlled and eventually eliminated in Africa.

It is for this reason that in September, 2009, some African leaders gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America and decided to form an alliance to intensify the fight against malaria and ultimately end malaria-related deaths in Africa.  We formed a coalition to mobilize and coordinate our collective efforts as well as mobilize international support from nations, international organizations as well as institutions and persons of goodwill in the fight against malaria.  We formed the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, in short ALMA.   I was privileged and honoured to be the first Chairman of ALMA until January, 2012 when I handed over to my dear sister Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the Republic of Liberia who is our chief guest at this event today.

Your Excellency;
Since its inception, ALMA has been very instrumental in enhancing global partnership and mobilizing substantial resources to fight the scourge of malaria in Africa. As a result, many African countries have been able to scale up malaria interventions and reduce malaria related deaths and the social burden of the disease it engenders. One of the landmark achievements was the adoption of the ALMA Scorecard for Accountability and Action in September, 2011.  In fact, this new innovative way of tracking progress on key malaria indicators establishes transparency and accountability framework for rapid response to emerging issues and consolidates national data from multiple sources.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the African leaders for their commitment and efforts to fight malaria; and to all our partners for their immense contribution and support towards our noble goal of eradicating malaria-related deaths by 2015. I know our target is ambitious but doable if we scale up interventions on the fight against malaria. I commend our very able ALMA Secretariat, under the leadership of Madam Joy Phumaphi, for the good work of building the institution and coordinating our efforts. Without the dedicated services rendered by staff of the Secretariat, we would not be here today celebrating one of our achievements. Thank you very much Madame Joy, Saleemah, Dr. Halima, Melanie, Kwame, Samson and Mary for your wonderful service to our dear continent.

 And above all, ladies and gentlemen, I want to sincerely thank President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her leadership in steering the affairs of ALMA. Within a very short time, her vibrancy and visionary leadership have proven to be an asset in the fight against malaria in Africa. I am sure by the time her tenure ends, Africa will leap several steps forward in the fight against malaria. Tanzania will continue to support you and the work of ALMA until we attain our lofty objective.

Your Excellency;
Invited guests;     
Ladies and Gentlemen;

On behalf of the government of the United Republic of Tanzania, it is now my pleasure to hand-over new offices of the ALMA Secretariat here in Dar es Salaam. These offices are available to ALMA as a contribution of the government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania to ALMA in recognition of its efforts in fighting Malaria in the continent.    
Finally, it is now my singular honor and privilege to welcome you Madame President to the podium to deliver your remarks and then launch the ALMA Secretariat offices here in Dar es Salaam.
Madam, welcome!

President Dr.Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete together with  the Liberian  Presdent Ellen Sirleaf Johnson pose for a group photograph with some dignitaries who attended the official opening ceremony of the ALMA offices in Dar es Salaam this morning.The ALMA offices are located at the institute of Medical Research NIMRI Headquarters  along Luthuli Avenue in Dar es Salaam.