Date: 11/12/2011

Source: The Departmernt of International Relations and Cooepration

Title: SA: Nkoana-Mashabane: Closing remarks by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, at the COP17 conference, Durban

Distinguished Ministers and delegates, we are now at the conclusion of COP17/CMP7.

I want to utilise this opportunity to thank you all for your dedication, hard work and for the spirit of Ubuntu and compromise that prevailed during this Conference.

I applaud you for what you have been able to accomplish here in Durban. You were prepared to show the required political will to move this process forward. It is without any doubt in my mind that we have “worked together to save tomorrow, today!”

I believe the Indaba laid the foundation for this Conference. Indaba, as you will recall, is a word in isiZulu that refers to a gathering of people with the purpose to debate a matter of great importance to the community in an attempt to find a common mind or a common story that all participants can take with them. Climate Change is our common problem which affects us all and the Durban Platform is the story we will take home with us.

Our intention with the Indaba was to restore trust in the multilateral system and to enshrined transparency and inclusivity within our Party driven process. The decisions that we have taken here are truly historical and include the following:

i) The amendment of the Kyoto Protocol
ii) Decisions of the LCA
iii) The Green Climate Fund
iv) The future of the Climate Change Regime.

I would therefore like to congratulate all the delegations for their leadership and rising to the occasion when it was most required. At the outset we urged you to show leadership in action and to think beyond your national positions. You have clearly demonstrated your commitment and willingness to achieve the broad and balanced result that we all can be proud of.

Once again I want to express our congratulations to Qatar as incoming COP18/CMP8 President for being prepared to host the next Conference. Here we cannot omit South Korea’s gracious gesture to compromise by offering to host the informal ministerial meetings in preparation for COP18/CMP8.

From my team and me, I would like to convey a special word of appreciation to the Executive Secretary, Ms. Christiana Figueres and the UNFCCC team for their professional and much appreciated support. We are looking forward to continue working together in the further discharge of our duties as COP17/CMP7 President.

Last but not least, thank you to the City of Durban, the ICC and all those hard working support staff who spent marathon hours to contribute to the success of this event.

I trust that your time in Durban and in South Africa will remain a memorable one and that you will stay on for a while to relax and enjoy what the city and the country have to offer.

I wish you a safe journey back to your respective countries and I am looking forward to see you again next year when we start with our preparations for COP18/CMP8.

Thank you.