Date: 16/09/2005
Source: Ministry of Defence
Title: Lekota: Ministerial Session of SA-Namibia Joint Commission on Defence and Security


    Welcome Address by the South African Minister of Defence, Mr Mosiuoa Lekota, to the official opening of the Ministerial Session of the 5th RSA-Namibia Joint Commission on Defence & Security (JCDS), Cape Town

Honourable Minister DNP Namoloh, Minister of Defence of Namibia;
Honourable Minister APT Tsheehama, Minister of Safety and Security of Namibia;
Honourable Minister R Nghidinwa, Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration of Namibia;
Director General: Namibian Central Intelligence Services, Lt General Hangula;
Your Excellency W Hellao, the Namibian High Commissioner to South Africa;
Permanent Secretaries and Directors General; Defence Chiefs and Police Chiefs of both delegations;
Senior Officers and Officials of both delegations;
Distinguished Delegates;
Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of the South African delegation to the fifth meeting of the South Africa-Namibia Joint Commission on Defence and Security (JCDS) I hereby extend a warm welcome to the Namibian delegation to this Ministerial Session here in Cape Town this morning.

The Senior Officials committee meeting, plenary preparations of the past two days, and today’s Ministerial Session marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of this Joint Commission in 2000.

It is equally significantly that this week we find ourselves back in the city where we held the inaugural South Africa/Namibia JCDS in 2001.

The Commission has spent the past few days reviewing progress made on decisions of the previous session through its Defence Committee, State Security Committee and Public Security Committee. The officials have noted with satisfaction the extent to which these decisions have made progress and are being implemented particularly in the following areas: law enforcement and cooperation on security along our common borders; the creation of the requisite atmosphere for security and stability to conduct successful elections in the region; significant progress with regard the operationalisation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mutual Defence Pact, the SADC Brigade of the African Standby Force and the secondment of personnel to the Regional Early Warning Centre; the development of legislation intended to combat terrorism and mercenary activity, and the concomitant mutual building of intelligence capacity and cooperation; the conduct of joint military exercises and capacity building in the region in preparation for further formalisation of military and security cooperation; a common approach in the management of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in the region; and, support for the African Union (AU) efforts in its continued quest to stabilise the Darfur region of Sudan.

Building on the spirit of the last meeting of the Commission in Walvis Bay in August 2004, this meeting marks a significant milestone in the growing relationship between our two countries.

Through the Commission both South Africa and Namibia have built on a reservoir of goodwill spanning half a decade of a common expression of what we both wish to be, friendly neighbours and partners in our quest for mutual capacity for defence and security, and a growing partnership in the promotion of regional stability and development.

This meeting takes place at an important time in our bilateral and regional relations. When the Commission met in 2004, South Africa was Chair of the SADC Organ and SADC Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC). Preparations were then underway for the imminent handover of the Chair to Namibia.

Today we meet for the first time under the tenure of Namibia. This augurs well for our continued partnership in the various SADC fora.

The SADC Troika for example, affords both of our countries the platform and opportunity for continuity of our joint efforts with regard to critical foreign policy and defence related issues, both multilateral and regional.

South African and Namibia have, for example, very specific political mandates for joint co-operation and continuity with respect to support for peace, stability and post-conflict reconstruction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi.

In this regard the initiatives to support the integration of armed forces of the DRC are an urgent imperative for progress on the path to elections and a universally acceptable democratic dispensation. A major milestone to date has been the passing out parades at various camps across the DRC.

However, in general, both our countries also need to further extend the focus of the relationship to a longer-term vision.

By way of example, the fact that South Africa is to host the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup should be viewed as a regional initiative with many positive spin-offs for the SADC region. This includes improved regional security, increased investments and an unprecedented opportunity to market the region for tourism.

The 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup therefore will become as focal point around which we can drive many of our long-term initiatives for the security and development of the SADC region.

This Commission also takes place against the backdrop of important events on our continent and around the world since our 2004 meeting including:

* Namibia’s new role as the Chair of the SADC Organ and the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC), and as the SADC representative in the bureau of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services in Africa (CISSA);
* Africa’s continued quest and commitment to peace support and post-conflict reconstruction in Burundi, Comoros Ethiopia/Eritrea, C