Secretary Anthony Foxx,
Ambassador Gaspard,
MEC for Roads and Transport (Gauteng) - Ismail Vadi,
United States Trade and Development Agency (USTD),
Representatives of Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA),
Representatives of Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS),
Representatives of Passenger Rail Agency of SA,
Members of the media houses,
Ladies and gentleman.

We are here today to be part of the signing of the reviewed Memorandum of Cooperation between South Africa and the United States. This week and this month in particular, is the commemoration of the sixty years since the Congress of the People in Kliptown, 2 Soweto, where the Freedom Charter was adopted.

This was a mass gathering of the people who came as delegates from every village, town and city of our country in unison against the apartheid laws of repression. This month is also dedicated to the celebration of the Youth of our country, who also contributed immensely towards the attainment of our democracy.

I am pleased that the signing of this reviewed agreement happens during this historic moment in our country. Ladies and Gentlemen, In September 2011, the two Departments of transport of the Republic of South Africa and the United States of America signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) which serves as an over-arching framework for structured implementation of sector specific initiatives this MOC expires this year in 2015.

As a result, we are gathered here today to sign the reviewed memorandum of cooperation. Ladies and Gentlemen, In a meeting held on the sidelines of the signing ceremony of the MOC, in 2012, US Assistant Secretary Susan Kurland expressed tangible support for training and capacity building efforts within the transport sector, in particular for the training of women and senior government officials in areas of need.

The United States’ Department of Transport also undertook to mobilize financial and 3 other resources aimed at training and capacity building initiatives in support of the South African Department of Transport. In May 2012, the former Minister of Transport, Minister Sbu Ndebele, led a delegation of senior officials to the 3 rd Meeting of the Transport Working Group in Washington D.C.

During this meeting, Minister Ndebele met with the then Secretary of Transportation, Secretary LaHood. The basis of this high level working group meeting was to address partnerships in the following areas: a) Maritime Training and collaboration; b) Closer working relationship between our respective aviation training facilities; c) Road and driver safety issues; and d) Training for other types of engineers, artisans and experts. At the time, various transport agencies formed part of the Ministerial delegation for the high level meeting.

These agencies included the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), the Cross Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA), the Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS), the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA), the Railway Safety Authority (RSR) and the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

On Aviation 4 In 2012, the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) provided a $758,000 (R5.7 million) Airside Capacity Enhancement Grant to the ATNS to fund a feasibility study to evaluate the technical, financial, environmental, and other critical aspects involved in a proposed airside capacity enhancement project at South Africa’s three major international airports.

The objective of the Feasibility Study was to provide the ATNS and ACSA with an analysis and recommendations that will support decision-making with regard to the utilization of advanced technologies and procedural improvements to reduce delays and increase the efficiency and safety of air traffic movements at the Cape Town, King Shaka and O.R Tambo International Airports.

The project was concluded in May 2013, with the presentation of the final study results to the key stakeholders of the South African Aviation Community. It was agreed that ATNS and ACSA will review and analyse all proposed interventions and present industry with a prioritized plan to be included in both the ATNS and ACSA short term capacity improved initiatives.

In addition, the USTDA launched the US – South Africa Aviation Partnership to support the development of human capacity resources necessary to successfully develop South Africa’s aviation sector and to foster closer professional and commercial 5 relationships with the U.S. government and U.S aviation companies.

The USTDA also approved $1 million in funding for training programmes that will support the growth of safe, reliable aviation services in South Africa. Training programmes will be carried out by representatives from the U.S. aviation industry, including U.S aviation training institutions and U.S. companies.

On Road Transport Projects that have been identified for cooperation include activities that will improve transport and trade facilitation, tracking devices to monitor movement of drivers with the aim of improving regulation, operator compliance and accreditation registration of foreign trucks and drivers.

Capacity building in the areas of border management and corridor development planning will also be explored. Further consultations have taken place between SANRAL and the Federal Highways Administration. Several areas of interest were identified which forms the basis for cooperative work on the roads area.

On Maritime South Africa, as one of the signatories of the IMO Convention has played the most important role in the implementation of the 6 International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS Code), which came into force on 1 July 2004.

Further, as one of the United States trading partners in the world, it has maintained the partnership under SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention with the US for almost 11years. It is under this premise that I have resolved to extend the security relationship to both Safety and Marine environment Protection matters. South Africa wish to cooperate with the US in the skills development in Ships, Yachts and Small Craft Surveys.

There is a shortage of surveyors and inspectors in these areas. It is our wish that a training project be designed under this memorandum of Cooperation. South Africa is also in the process of ratifying the Wreck Removal Convention which, at implementation stage, would require IMO member States to have enough Divers.

It would therefore be appreciated if the US could assist South Africa with identifying training institutions and facilitating engagements with them so that South Africa could send youth for training in all these scarce skill areas i.e. Surveyors, Inspectors and Divers.

Amongst the issues the Department of Transport in South Africa seeks lessons or best practices from the US DoT are on the following:

    Establishment of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). South Africa in line with ICAO requirements is seeking to establish the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Authority (BOARD), and is seeking US support in this process.
    Search and Rescue South Africa wishes to have the Medium Earth Orbit Satellite for Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) to enable her to address the challenges on aviation and maritime Search and rescue.
    Single Transport Economic Regulator (STER) South Africa wishes to establish a STER and wishes to benchmark on model that the USA uses.
    Border Management Agency (BMA) South Africa is in the process of establishing a consolidated BMA and wishes to benchmark on the models used by the USA
    Capacity Building and Skills Development 8 South Africa wishes to develop and increase capacity within the DoT on various transportation modes. South Africa is due to undertake a reciprocal visit to the USA which was postponed in 2014. As part of the visit the South African delegation will visit some of the transport sector training institutions.

We also appreciate that the following US agencies have declared their interest in working with the South Africa counterparts as part of the implementation of the signed MOC:

    The Federal Highways Administration ( interested in working with different agencies in Government including SANRAL and CSIR)
    The Federal Aviation Administration (currently working with ATNS and are open to expanding the relationship between SACAA and other relevant aviation agencies)
    The Federal Railroad Administration (interested in working with Transnet Freight Rail and the Railway Safety Regulator)
    The Maritime Administration (keen on hosting the SA transport delegation to the Maritime Academy and will continue to cooperate with the South African Maritime Safety Authority).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Institute (keen to corporate with the State Departments of Motor Vehicles to discuss driver licensing amongst others). Port visits With regards to Ports reciprocal visits were undertaken in 2014 by both DoT Officials and US Coast Guard officials to respective countries. General Electric (GE) and the Rail Sector GE is working with PRASA and Transnet.

The partnership had also produced a significant investment in job development, economic advancement and infrastructure growth in the country. Ladies and Gentlemen, As part of capacity building of the South Africa's transport officials, the US- South Africa Aviation Forum - a US Trade and Development Agency program that supports the development of critical human capacity resources and closer professional and commercial partnerships between the U.S. and South African aviation sectors was established.

Under the Initiative, USTDA is funding a series of study tours, training programs, and project planning activities for key 10 stakeholders from South Africa's aviation sector in partnership with the U.S. private sector.

This programme has been run in conjunction with the following Aviation Agencies ACSA, CAA and ATNS. The first Aviation forum was held in Cape Town from 23-25 March 2015. In support of the President Obama’s Young African Leaders initiative (YALI), the US Department of Transportation launched the Tomorrow’s Transportation Leaders (TTL) Program (TTL).

This programme is envisaged to have workshops and outreach events over a two year period. These workshops are meant to address:

    transport policies and regulatory frameworks
    transport investment planning
    efficient management of transportation systems Each workshop will be tailored to specific topics and participants will be chosen according to their interest and experience in the field.

This programme is mean to help strengthen the skills and knowledge of young professionals working in the transport sector, whilst building stronger ties between US and African transport sectors. Ladies and Gentlemen, 11 In conclusion, I would like to thank my counterparts in the US DoT, led by Secretary of Transportation Mr. Anthony Foxx, Ambassador Gaspard, my Colleagues MEC Vadi, DoT in South Africa and all participating entities and all trade delegation for making this possible.

I thank you!