"Zanzibar is currently witnessing major economic and social changes that lead to the extensive use of existing natural resources, which contribute to a large extent, increasing the pressure on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and what is evident is that Environmental Policy Changes are needed to go along and to deal with environmental challenges, in order to ultimately guide the country and the nation as a whole, in sustainable development, based on the best use of existing natural resources, land and sea," said Hon. Othman Masoud, the First Vice President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar during the launch of the 2013 Zanzibar Environmental Policy Review Process, at the Golden Tulip Hotel Hall, Airport, Western Unguja Region.
Hon. Othman Masoud Othman has called on the relevant authorities in the country to ensure that the Environmental Policy Review is inclusive at all levels, considering that the daily lives of citizens depend on natural resources.

In addition, Hon Othman has sincerely thanked the Climate Action Network (CAN) Tanzania, for the professional and financial support to facilitate the review of the Policy, where he has said that the existing expectations include that the experts will continue to cooperate with the Office of the First Vice President of The President of Zanzibar, in preparing the Policy Implementation Plan and also other important areas of climate change.

The Minister of State, Office of the First Vice President of Zanzibar, Ms. Harusi Said Suleiman, has thanked the efforts taken by the Government in collaboration with Climate Action Network (CAN) Tanzania, to achieve the goal of fighting the environmental effects resulting from climate change.

Explaining the main objective of the meeting which is to launch a review of Zanzibar's Environmental Policy for 2013 in order to obtain a new Environmental Policy for the sustainable development of Zanzibar, the Secretary General of the Office of the First Vice President of Zanzibar, Dr. Omar Dadi Shajak, has mentioned the mission of review saying, "The 2013 Environmental Policy has been guiding us for about 10 years, and now in collaboration with the Climate Action Network (CAN) Tanzania, we are starting the process of reviewing and improving it, in order to finally get a policy that carries a broad vision of the Sector of the Environment, which is one of the Cross-cutting Sectors”

The Executive Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Tanzania, Dr. Sixbert Mwanga, explained that CAN Tanzania works in anticipation of sustainable change at all levels, through the theory of 'Think-and-Do Tank', The "think" part which focuses on Policy, Innovation and Sectoral Guidelines; in line with the "Do-Tank" that shines a light on the mission of implementing actions in all aspects of people's lives within the Society.

Various Government Leaders, Environmental Stakeholders, Development Partners and Civil Organizations participated in the event including the Director General of the Zanzibar Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA), Mr. Sheha Mjaja Juma; Director of the Zanzibar Environment Department, Madam Farhat Ali Mbarouk; Registrar of Civil Organizations Zanzibar, Mr. Ahmed Khalid Abdulla; Chairman of the Board of Climate Action Network (CAN) Tanzania, Dr. Catherine Massao; and Participants from various Ministries and Institutions.

CAN Tanzania invites more collaborations to work together to ensure a sustainable future for our environment. We call upon "Collective Local Actions for Global Impact"