The biggest challenge of the 21st century is Africa's underdevelopment, Foreign Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said yesterday.

"Poverty, underdevelopment, employment, HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and other diseases will form our primary focus in the second decade."

Dlamini-Zuma was speaking at the South Africa/France conference on "The Tenth Anniversary of Democracy in South Africa" in Paris.

"As we celebrate, we are also mindful of the many difficult challenges that lie ahead including the development of a skilled labour force for our modern economy. Government has to intervene to assist the South Africans who are not part of the First World, modern economy."

The minister said the government could not leave the fate of the labour force to the markets.

"We have planned an expanded public works programme which will be labour-intensive. It will also impart skills to those who have none."

She said over the past ten years, South Africa's involvement in world affairs has been premised on the view that the strength of its nation depended on the strength of the African continent.

"Hence our efforts in consolidating an African agenda, in co-operating with the African Diaspora and in working together with other partners to create a better, more humane and people-centred continent and contribute to a better world."

Dlamini-Zuma said conflict resolution, peace and stability, democracy, good governance, respect for human rights, sustainable development, and economic prosperity had to be part of Africa's renewal.

She said the African Union was best placed to undertake a programme of such magnitude.

"We are all working hard to build and strengthen the institutions of the AU."

The minister said the establishment of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), a key political organ of the African Union, was a crucial step towards Africa determining its destiny.

The PAP was inaugurated in March in Ethiopia.

"We, like you, have established this continental parliament because we recognise that sustained development, an improvement in the quality of ours people's economic well-being, is inextricably linked to political stability, democratic governance, conflict prevention and resolution."

She said South Africa would continue to contribute towards Africa's prosperity and stability.

"We are grateful to the French/South Africa Committee for its work and sustained support. There are common problems that the world is facing.

"Global poverty, marginalisation of billions of people, environmental issues, global governance, global trade rules, rise of racism, terrorism."

Dlamini-Zuma said there was a growing movement towards unilateralism and the undermining of the United Nations.

"The Security Council is not able to act at all times as a credible and reliable agent of our collective security when it is not representative, not democratic and is sometimes used by certain powerful nations for their own agendas.

"Unilateralism causes instability rather than stability.

"These circumstances suggest that perhaps the time has come for the emergence of a united movement of the peoples of the world that would come together to work for the creation of a new world order."

The minister said it was possible to build a formidable, united movement to share ideas and collectively look for solutions to the problems of poverty and marginalisation.

"We have a collective responsibility to bequeath to future generations a safe planet, a safe, peaceful, secure and equitable world. A world without racism and sexism."

The French Foreign Ministry and the South Africa French Committee are hosting the conference in celebration of South Africa's ten years of freedom, democracy, peace and justice. – Sapa.