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Statement on the honoring of President Zuma by the University of Perking

20 July 2012

The African National Congress congratulates President Zuma for being honored by the University of Perking Beijing when it conferred to him Honorary Professorship for his role in world politics. This acknowledgement goes a long way to underline the primacy of President Zuma's approach in locating South Africa on the political and economic world map and our country's aggressive stance in advancing the interests of the developing nations,particularly the African Agenda for development.

This is the ninth honor the President Zuma has received and is consistent with the President's passion when it comes to education and the emphasis he has placed in ensuring that the country eliminates illiteracy and advances educational levels of all South Africans to ensure that we fast-track our national development and that of the region. This honor underlines his unparalleled passion of bringing development both economic and infrastructural, to underdeveloped sections of our country and our continent. Through this commitment he has demonstrated, particularly with the introduction in South Africa of the Ministry of Rural development,that through a political will and commitment, real social, infrastructural and economic development is possible in the under-developed areas of our country and our continent. In the context of the continent, President Zuma has made a mark through his leadership in the AU Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Initiative, within which he champions the North South Corridor Project which will ultimately ensure integration of road and rail infrastructure from Cape to Cairo.

President Zuma as a self taught intellectual who organically developed to a level comparable to those who went through academic institutions, has demonstrated the will to accumulate knowledge as a pragmatist. It is indisputable that his leadership and consistent argument in favour of the poorest in the country and the developing nations has given expression to some of the major interventions in the world fora of multilateral cooperation. Under the leadership of President Zuma, South Africa has maintained its consistency as the voice of development and a proponent for change in the developing economies.

We appreciate the gesture of acknowledgement as demonstrated by the University of Perking as it demonstrates their commitment to the growth of the African continent. This gesture of acknowledgement will certainly reposition and reinforce the President's role and voice on the world political and economic affairs.