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Date : 09/06/2003
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs
Title: Dlamini Zuma: Opening session of Brazil-Africa Forum


ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, DR NKOSAZANA C DLAMINI ZUMA, TO THE OPENING SESSION OF THE BRAZIL-AFRICA FORUM, State of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil, 9 June 2003

Your Excellency, the Vice President of BRAZIL, Mr Jose Alencar
Your Excellency, the Governor of Ceara, Mr Lucio Alcantara
Your Excellency, the President of the Cabo Verde, Mr Pedro Pires
Honourable Ministers and Colleagues
Your Excellency, the Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors, Mr Martin Mbarga Nguele
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is indeed an honour and a pleasure to address this historic gathering. Allow me to express our profound appreciation to the Government and people of Brazil and State of Ceara for the warm and legendary Brazilian hospitality afforded to us since our arrival.

We also thank his Excellency Mr Martin Mbarga Nguele, the Dean of the African Ambassadors accredited to Brasilia, and the Brazilian Foreign Ministry who had the vision which is being realised in this auspicious gathering.

A long time ago, a huge volcanic rupture occurred separating a continent then known as Ngodwane into two continents, Africa and South America as we know them today divided by the Atlantic Ocean. This geographic past unites us.

We also share a more recent history which is characterised by centuries of slavery, colonialism and oppression and exploitation. The end of that era gave birth to Brazil which has the second largest population of Africans in the world and the largest outside Africa.

The ocean that separate us cannot deny us the fact that we are bound by a common history, heritage and culture. Our past is intertwined and so must be our future. We are inspired by the same dreams, share racial and cultural diversity that produces the beautiful tapestry of our nations. We share the same side of the globe. The South. The beautiful South.

Quoting from one of the historians, Mr Burns, the Minister continued...

`Brazil, the affable and amiable giant attracts attention. It excites imagination. It dazzles the beholder. The intensity of the light, the brightness of the colour, the richness of the vegetation, the vastness of the landscape, the beauty of the people combine to make a seductive sight few have been able to resist. The alternating simplicity and complexity of the land and its inhabitants further intrigue any who delve even shallowly beneath that alluring surface`(Burns, History of Brazil)

This would be just as true, if we substituted Brazil with Africa, so similar are our lands and our people.

A Jesuits priest writing back to the metropolis in 1560 says, "If there were paradise here on earth, I would say it is in Brazil". But I am sure if he was in Africa, he would have said the same.

Beyond the charms of beauty, the elegance of character, the seductive landscapes and sunsets, the connections of history, we should create a symbiotic connection and strategic relationship between Africa and Brazil.

This, we have to do, because beyond the seductive beauty of our land, is the ugly reality that we have the millions of the poor and the hungry. Our people are still ravaged by infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS. Our countries suffer from underdevelopment. Our people yearn for a better life.

Our lands have precious gold and glittering diamonds and other gems, and we export raw commodities whose prices are determined by others than ourselves.

Therefore, we have to create this symbiotic connection because whilst information technology has revolutionised the world, that revolution is passing some of our people by, because of the vast digital divide between the developed and the developing world.

Between Africa and Brazil exist expertise and skills that can help both close this digital gap.

We must create this symbiotic connection in order to rekindle hope in our people. Hope that the future will be bright for their children and coming generations.

As Africans, we have decided we are a continent of hope and we have boldly declared this century, the African Century. This imposes a huge responsibility on us when we start the century being the least developed continent; a continent with declining economies, increasing epidemics including health challenges and an increasing number of the hungry and illiterate.

But, this has not deterred us. It is a challenge that we have to be equal to, starting with creating symbiotic links amongst ourselves and Brazil has to be part of facing that challenge.

Some want us to believe that the goals we have set for ourselves are too ambitious.

But drawing strength from our rich and proud past, that we are the cradle of humanity, and provide the world with today's civilisation. A civilisation that boasted of the architectural wonders such as the pyramids of Egypt, the sculptures of the ancient kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Benin, the temples of Ethiopia, the rock paintings of the Kgalagadi of the Namib Desert and the Great Zimbabwe ruins.

We are determined to bring Africa back to the pride of place in the 21st century.

Brazil and Africa have to develop this symbiotic link because of the quest for a better life for all our people. We need to learn from each other. We need to trade amongst ourselves. We need to invest in each other's economies. In short, we need to accelerate our co-operation in each other's developmental needs.

Critical for development is the need to invest in our peoples through education, skills development and health. Provision of basic needs, such as housing, water, sanitation and energy. Our people want to earn an honest living. Let's give them that chance by creating jobs.

Without the symbiotic link, we cannot fight transnational crime and terrorism.

That symbiotic link will allow us to pool our skills together, our resources, our creativity and our energies together in order to find solutions for common problems, whether in health or in other technologies.

That symbiotic link must mean stronger ties between the African Union with NEPAD as its programme and ALADI (Association of Latin American Integration) and Mercusor.

Brazil, being four hours away from Senegal and Cape Town and seven hours way from Rio means that it makes sense to create trade links and develop marine and air transport links.

To promote intellectual discourse, link our professionals across the continents, to impress the urgency on our business people and to rally the co-operation of our politicians. In short, to seize the attention of all our peoples of the necessity to break new grounds together. Sharing our cultural heritage and improve people - to - people contact. We must play soccer together!

We face common international challenges. Racism which is growing in the world and sometimes assuming more insidious forms. We must confront this challenge together.

It is also possible to find measures of maximising our joint approaches and synergising our efforts in promoting a coherent strategy towards other international organisations such as WTO. It is not unless we act cohesively, that our common disadvantages in critical issues such as securing agreements on agriculture subsidies, TRIPS and public health, special and differentiated treatment and the implementation mechanism can be minimised.

We should investigate how as partners we can contribute to the structuring of the international financial architecture. We have to brace ourselves against the vagaries of volatile international capital flows which wreak havoc on our currencies and fuel lack of confidence in our economies.

Our strength lies in speaking on international issues of mutual interest, especially in the strengthening and the reform of the United Nations (UN) and international peace and security.

In Africa, the establishment of the African Union and the formulation of Africa's programme for the socio-economic regeneration of Africa called NEPAD are on course.

In July in Maputo, we will be electing the Commission of the AU, whilst establishing the Peace and Security Council. The Council once constituted, will oversee the establishment of an early warning system, and an African Standby Force thereby enhancing our capacity for peacekeeping.

We are happy today, that the guns are silent and hope that they will be silent forever in Angola, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Comoros and Cote d

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