FORMER President Jakaya Kikwete has counseled young Tanzanian diplomats to prioritize national interests if they want to forge successful careers.
Dr Kikwete, Tanzania’s fourth-phase president and renowned diplomat, said it was important for the aspiring diplomats to put national interests ahead and, then, advance political, economic and socio-cultural interests.
“The most important thing for those of you who want to be diplomats in the future is to have the national interest in mind and to advance the political, economic, security, and socio-cultural interests,” he stated on Monday.
He was speaking during the Pamoja Sixty Conference Series in Dar es Salaam, in honor of the 245th anniversary of the U.S. Independence and the 60th anniversary of the start of the U.S.-Tanzania relations, as part of celebrations of the 60 years of Tanzania’s independence.
“There is no formula in leadership that says one plus one equals two, but it is vitally necessary to establish what are the national interests at that specific period in time,” stated Dr Kikwete.
Having served as Foreign Affairs Minister for 10 years before assuming the presidential position, Kikwete is well-versed on diplomatic matters.
He, thus, shed lights on Tanzania’s foreign policy, saying the country would constantly create friends all over the world, and each leader’s actions at any given time would be guided by the issues at stake.
Dr Kikwete recalled that when he was appointed Foreign Affairs Minister in 1995, President Benjamin Mkapa informed him that hosting of refugees had become a burden and that he should ensure that they were repatriated.
According to him, he chose to familiarize himself with the situation by visiting refugee camps in Karagwe and Ngara
“We began conversations with Rwanda on how to assist voluntary repatriation, and we had a good plan to implement, but we ran into a few snags here and there, mainly from UNHCR and others,” Dr Kikwete said.
The conference was organised by Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA) in collaboration with the US embassy in Tanzania. REPOA Executive Director Dr Donald Mmari underscored the necessity for continuous diplomatic relations and collaboration between Tanzania and the United States, arguing that diplomacy is now more proactive, multidirectional, and innovative than it was 20 years ago.
“As indicated by how external events could have an impact on domestic, economic, social, and political aspects of life, the world is becoming increasingly interconnected.
The international agenda is always shifting, with new issues capturing the attention of world leaders and governing systems,” he stated.
Dr Mmari said many more actors participate in international affairs, including trade, knowledge exchange, travel, and labour markets, adding that for Tanzania, economic diplomacy has become increasingly visible because of its desire to participate and benefit more in global trade and investments.
The US Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Donald Wright stated that the US has worked alongside Tanzanians for the past six decades to achieve the country’s development goals.
“When the newly-independent Tanzania required help to develop its infrastructure, the US stepped in and built thousands of kilometres of roads, including the Tanzania-Zambia highway, which connected Tanzania’s southern agricultural corridor with worldwide markets,” he said.
Mr Wright said to help realize Mwalimu Nyerere’s vision of increasing access to education for Tanzania’s people, the US sent Peace Corps Volunteers to rural schools, and helped build numerous higher learning institutions, including the Sokoine University of Agriculture, the College of African Wildlife Management at Mweka, the Institute of Public Administration, and teacher training colleges in both Iringa and Dar es Salaam.