"We want to look together to the future and not the past...there is a will and commitment to strengthen bi-lateral relations," said Calmy-Rey during a media briefing with a South African journalists delegation yesterday.
Calmy-Rey, who will meet with her South African counter-part Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on February 19 during her two-day visit, said there were "excellent" bi-lateral relations between the two countries across the political, economic, developmental, scientific and cultural fields.
She said she was looking forward to her first ever visit to South Africa,which took place within the context of South Africa's 10-year celebration of democracy.
"The visit to South Africa will give us the opportunity to pursue interests and discussions since (President Thabo) Mbeki's visit (to Switzerland) last year," Calmy-Rey said, also alluding to gender and women's rights discussions with Dlamini-Zuma at last year's G8 summit.
Calmy-Rey said she and Dlamini-Zuma were the first women foreign ministers of their respective countries and shared a common zeal for gender issues.
"Equality is far from being reality," she said, adding that she hoped her visit would enable concrete activities and common projects for women being initiated particularly in the areas of violence against women and human trafficking.
She hinted at an "action plan" that was in the pipeline, which would see women ministers joining forces to promote the rights of women.
Calmy-Rey said she would also visit a Swiss-South African project targeting gender violence in Alexandra in Gauteng.
"In developing countries women have a very difficult life and I'm sure we can do something about this," she said.
Calmy-Rey said during her visit she would also touch on a variety of other issues relating to bi-lateral relations, and would for example be working on strengthening regional peace projects in the foreseeable future.
She would also directly go to Mozambique for a similar two-day visit, after officially inaugaurating Switzerland's new embassy in Pretoria.
On South Africa's place in Swiss foreign policy, Calmy-Rey said the country occupied an "important strategic position" on the African continent.
Switzerland was also celebrating South Africa's decade of democracy by hosting a year-long programme of events, and earlier yesterday South Africa's ambassador outlined some of the activities planned.
Nozipho January-Bardill said the activities offered specific factual opportunities, clarified perspectives and "debunked some mythology and stereotypes".
January-Bardill said the programme, which kicked off in January and ended in December, saw a multitude of arts and cultural events taking place in Switzerland, including a group of 99 South Africans who would visit Switzerland in March in a "safari" style sojourn.
"Usually Europeans go to South Africa on safari... this time Africans will experience Europe and then reflect back... almost like a mirror," she said.
January-Bardill said most of the year-long events - which cost 1,5-million Swiss francs - were sponsored by Swiss business. – Sapa.
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