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Date
: 21/11/2005
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs
Title: van der Merwe: Formal opening of temporary Pan African
Parliament Chamber
Speech by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, S van der Merwe,
to the Fourth Ordinary Session of the PAP on the occasion of the
formal opening of the new temporary PAP Chamber, Gallagher
Estate
Your Excellency President of the PAP
Ambassador Mrs Mongella
Honourable Members of the PAP Bureau
Your Excellency Commissioner Joiner of the African Union
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Leaders of the faith communities
Honourable members of the Pan-African Parliament
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my great pleasure to welcome you all here today to South
Africa on the occasion of the opening of the Fourth Ordinary
Session of the Pan African Parliament. South Africa is once again
greatly honoured to be the host of this esteemed continental
Parliament.
We are here for the first time in the new temporary Chamber of the
Pan African Parliament, which has just been opened today and which
will be the home of the Pan African Parliament for the next four
years.
As host country we are proud to provide this Chamber and we hope
that the deliberations here will be enhanced by the new and elegant
chamber.
Excellencies, President Mbeki has called this parliament the
"African Parliament of Liberators". In welcoming the decision to
allow our country to host this parliament he declared that: "It is
our responsibility, acting together with all other patriotic forces
in Africa and the African Diaspora to ensure that we mobilise the
masses of the people to act as their own liberators, taking
advantage of the current African and global conjuncture that
presents us with the possibility to achieve the age-old dream of
the genuine, all-round emancipation of the African people."
He said: "As the hosts of the PAP we have a responsibility to
create the best possible conditions for this assembly of the
peoples of Africa to carry out its work."
We hope that this chamber will contribute positively to that
environment and that the important work that this parliament will
do in the next 10 days.
Once again, President Mbeki, speaking at the opening of the second
Ordinary Session of the Parliament, and the first of South African
soil reminded us that: "You, esteemed Members of the Pan African
Parliament, have been elected by the masses of our people as their
trusted representatives. You carry in your hands the hopes of the
people. These masses expect that you will be their fearless
champions, who will refuse to be distracted by petty things,
inspired to serve the great causes that must lead us to the
Renaissance of Africa.
"For all these reasons this gathering of the Pan African Parliament
is a proud moment for all Africans, wherever they may be. It is a
moment that gives us hope that sooner rather than later, the
entirety of the people of our continent will express the reality of
their own situations with the words - Africa's time has
come!"
Once again this gathering gives us the opportunity to take a
further step towards the realisation of these dreams.
On behalf of the South African government and the South African
people I once again welcome you here and wish you every success in
your deliberations.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
21 November 2005
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