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The African National Congress warmly welcomes the President of the United
States of America, His Excellency Barack Obama, on his first state visit
to South Africa.

The people of the United States, despite the stance of their government at
the time of our struggle, played a pivotal role in the fight against
apartheid and in assisting South Africans secure their freedom from the
tyranny of minority rule. Progressive organisations including amongst them
the Rainbow Push Foundation, the Free South Africa Movement, TransAfrica
Forum, the Black Congregational Caucus, Artists for a Free South Africa
and many others were at the forefront of the anti-apartheid struggle. Indeed,
the ANC believes that this visit by President Obama reignites and cements
the close and fraternal relations the ANC and the people of South Africa
have enjoyed with progressive people of the United States of America.

Building on this shared past, South Africa today enjoys robust and growing
trade relations with the United States, particularly in relation to
Foreign Direct Investment and Trade. Our country has significant exposure to US
markets as a consequence of the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA)
that allows for a range of South African products to reach American
markets.

While AGOA has yielded substantial returns for South Africa, with our
country being the 3rd biggest beneficiary of this legislation on the
continent, the African National Congress supports the call for the range
of products to be expanded to include agricultural and other products. It is
our belief that this visit by President Obama will provide an opportunity
to engage on the expansion of AGOA as a framework, the product ranges and
its period of applicability.

In keeping with our constitutionally protected right to protest, the
African National Congress respects the rights of those who wish to protest
against the visit by the President of the US. It is our wish that the
protests will themselves be carried out in a manner that reciprocally
respects the rights of others who do not share the same view.

As we welcome President Obama and his family to South Africa, we also
thank them for their kind words in Ghana that our beloved icon and
statesman, Comrade Nelson Mandela, who remains in a critical condition in
hospital, is a hero of the world. We thank them too for their prayers and
thoughts as we thank all other peoples of the globe who continue to keep
Madiba in their thoughts during this time. There is no doubt in our minds
that the very first African American President of the United States of
America will enjoy his stay in sunny South Africa.