Date: 08/04/2010
Source: The Presidency
Title: SA: Zuma: Toast remarks by the President of South Africa, at the state banquet in honour of President Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, Pretoria

Your Excellency and Dear Brother, President Denis Sassou-Nguesso
and your
dear wife,
The Deputy President of the Republic, Honourable Mr Kgalema
Motlanthe,
Hon Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Mr Mninawa
Mahlangu,
The Hon Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa, Justice
Ngcobo,
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers from the two
delegations,
The CEO of the Local Organising Committee, Mr Danny Jordaan,
The Secretary General of FIFA, Mr Jerome Valcke,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished Guests;

Let me extend a warm welcome to you my dear Brother, Your
Excellency and your dear wife, as well as your distinguished
delegation.

We are honoured to host you on the occasion of your State Visit
to South Africa.

This is the first State Visit by a Head of State of the Republic
of Congo to South Africa.

We hope that your stay has been fruitful and enjoyable thus far.

Relations of solidarity and friendship between our two peoples'
date back to the pre 1994 era, when South Africa was engaged in a
struggle to end
Apartheid.

The Republic of Congo actively opposed apartheid in South
Africa.

In Congo, we had a friend we could trust and rely on as
oppressed South
Africans.

We pay tribute to our brothers and sisters from the Congo for
the sacrifices you made in support of the anti-apartheid struggle.

South Africa has cordial and deep relations with the Republic of
Congo and this visit will help us to take these to even higher
levels.

Your Excellency, we face common challenges of poverty and
underdevelopment.

We will use our excellent political relations to fight these
twin menaces and place our countries on a path towards development
and prosperity.

Earlier today we signed Agreements and a Memorandum of
Understanding.

These are the agreements in the fields of Arts and Culture,
Maritime transport and merchant shipping, and the Memorandum of
Understanding on Economic Cooperation.

These further cement cooperation between our two countries Mr
President, we want to underline the role played by your country in
defusing pockets of conflict in the Central African region and the
continent.

We would like to single out specifically the role that you
personally played in stabilising the situation in Chad.

Our two countries have a big role to play in the maintenance of
peace and stability in the Central and Southern African regions, as
well as the continent as a whole.

You can rest assured of our full and unflinching support as you
continue to play this role.

Mr President, your influence and the leadership role you play in
the Central Africa Forests Commission and other regional,
continental and international organisations deserve to be
commended.

The protection of the Congo Basin forest is pivotal to the
economic development of the countries it feeds in Africa, but also
to sustainability on a global scale.

The Congo, like the rest of our continent, is endowed with
immense natural resources.

Let me assure you, Mr President that South African investors are
ready to participate in the development of these resources.

This could help accelerate economic development and further
strengthen our bilateral relations.

We look forward to the conclusion of all the discussions and
agreements on agricultural co-operation between our two countries.

South African farmers will embark on the implementation of
projects that will not only do us proud, but, most importantly, are
destined to contribute towards food security in Central and
Southern Africa.

Mr President, your country has played a significant role in the
international environment.

You held a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council during
2006 to 2007, and served as the Chair of the African Union in 2006.

We congratulate you as well on being appointed as lead
spokesperson on Climate Change for the African Union.

We will provide all the support possible in this regard, as the
survival of future generations depends on our dealing with this
serious challenge
effectively.

Your Excellency, thank you for accompanying me to Freedom Park
earlier today.

The monument is very important to us.

Freedom Park is the custodian of the spirits and memories from
conflicts that have caused untold pain and suffering, but from
which we learned and built a new nation.

It captures the pre-colonial period, the wars of resistance
against colonialism, the South African War of 1899 to 1902,
previously known as the Anglo-Boer War, the first and second World
Wars, as well as the liberation struggle from the late nineteenth
century up to 1994.

By visiting the monument, you confirmed that we are indeed one
people. Ladies and gentlemen, in just a few weeks, this country
will receive thousands of people from all over the world for the
2010 FIFA World Cup.

We are happy to be joined this evening by the Secretary General
of FIFA.

We assure FIFA and the world once again that we are more than
ready to host this greatest soccer spectacular.

We will not be found wanting at all on infrastructure, security
or the overall logistics of the tournament.

Your Excellency, Mr President we will hopefully watch some of
the games with you!

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I request you to rise and join me on a
toast to the good health of President and Mrs Sassou-Nguesso, and
the prosperity of the country and people of the Republic of the
Congo!

I thank you.