OPENING REMARKS BY H.E. DR. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COMMISSION FOR INFORMATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WOMEN’S AND CHILDREN’S HEALTH, 26 JANUARY 2011,
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Rt. Honourable Prime Minister of Canada and Co-chair of the Commission, Stephen Harper;
Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary General of the UN,
Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO and Vice Co-chair of the Commission;
Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union and Vice Co-chair of the Commission;
Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives;
Distinguished Members of the Commission;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
I thank the UN Secretary General and the Director General of WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan for the honour bestow on me to serve on the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s health. It is indeed, an honour and privilege I never expected. I promise to do my utmost to live up to your expectations.
The decision to establish this Commission was very opportune, indeed. As it was evident at the MDG - Summit held in September, 2010 in New York, that out of 8 MDGs, the ones on maternal and child health are lagging far behind target. The situation is worse in Sub-Saharan Africa and the fear is that, most African countries will not be able to achieve the 2015 target with regards to MDGs 4 and 5.
Africa with about 12 percent of the world’s population accounts for up to 50 per cent of the global maternal deaths and 49 percent of deaths of children under five years of age. Together, Asia and Africa account for 92 percent of world’s deaths of under five children. These staggering statistics are a stack reminder of enormity of the challenge with regards to reducing maternal and child health facing poor developing countries.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
A consensus emerged at the MDG Summit, that the situation was not acceptable, and that new innovative ways were needed to help poor developing countries to accelerate progress on health related MDGs. In this regard, the UNGA agreed on the Global Strategy on Women’s and Children’s health. The establishment of this Commission and its work is very much part of the pursuit of this objective. I am happy that a very strong team has been assembled and I feel honoured and privileged to work with such a formidable team which include my good friend, the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada my Co-chair and all the distinguished Vice-Co chairs and highly experienced Commissioners.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am glad that we are setting a renewed momentum and focus to accelerate progress towards reaching Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 by 2015. I am hopeful that through the work of this Commission we will see improved flow of resources from the developed countries to the developing countries. Since the countdown to 2015 has already started, we urge the developed countries and their partners to meet their financial commitment of over USD 40 billion to finance the Global Strategy in the next five years. I am hopeful also that there will be greater accountability by all stakeholders-including governments, international institutions, NGOs and civil society organizations in the utilization of financial and other resources availed to them to deal with problems of women’s and children’s health. If these two are done, I have no doubt in my mind that, the dream of saving the lives of millions of women and children who die of causes which can be prevented and treated, will be realized.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Briefly, I am saying that the work of our Commission will help to address the problems of availability of resources and ensure that money and other resources are spent well for the intended purposes and benefit the women and children in need. Coming up with proposals of systems and mechanisms of ensuring availability and accountability within the limited time availed to us, is not so very easy. But, I am confident that the very able and distinguished Commissioners should be able to come up with pertinent proposals. I am confident that we will live up to the expectation.
I thank you.
