Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
SOUTH AFRICAN VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UN
Press Statement for release in conjunction with the meeting between President Mandela and UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali, Pretoria, 26 April 1996 at 14:30, Mahlamba Ndlopfu.
During their meeting today President Mandela will present the Secretary General with two amounts of R875 000 and R913 000, being voluntary contributions by South Africa to the work of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Since South Africa's readmission to the UN General Assembly, an undertaking has been given that we will meet our mandatory commitments to the UN's budget and towards UN peacekeeping activities "in full and on time". This is the case at present.
Our obligations, however, go wider. The United Nations cannot fulfil all its tasks from its regular budget and calls on Member States to contribute voluntarily to specific funds and activities.
In the past year South Africa has taken up this challenge and became a modest donor in support of various UN humanitarian, peacekeeping and development activities.
Two cheques will be handed over by the President to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Boutros Boutros Ghali today during their discussions at Mahlamba Ndlopfu. They are being donated as a voluntary contribution by the South African Government for the following purposes:
A. United Nations Development Programme
On 12 October 1994 the Government of South Africa signed an agreement of assistance with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This agreement has provided for the formal establishment of a UNDP office in Pretoria and for support the provision of both technical and financial assistance to the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP).
As the primary coordinator of development activities for the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme has both financially and technically contributed to a wide array of projects, conferences and seminars which have focussed on the socio-economic development of our country. Amongst others the UNDP has provided financial support for the hosting of the first "International Donor's Conference on Human Resource Development for a Post-Apartheid South Africa", held in Cape Town during November 1994. Furthermore, the UNDP made a substantial contribution (amounting to US$ 275 000) during 1995 to the RDP Office for the promotion of management training programmes, and in addition, the UNDP contributed approximately US$ 50 000 to the Department of Housing for national housing support programmes.
The UNDP's emphasis on capacity building within communities directly supports the initiatives launched by the RDP Office to effectively uplift disadvantaged communities.
B. Contribution to UN High Commissioner for Refugees
To illustrate South Africa's commitment towards peace in the region, the South African Government has also made available R 913 000 to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the transfer of UNHCR vehicles and equipment to Angola from Harare, where they were stored after use in the UN Mozambican operations.
OTHER VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION:
C. Peace process in Angola
South Africa fully supports the peace process in Angola and the efforts made by the United Nations peace operation (UNAVEM III) in this fellow Southern African country. South Africa further supports the various steps and initiatives taken by the leaders in Southern Africa to promote peace and stability in Angola, and in the region as a whole.
An indication of our support of the promotion of peace and stability in the region is contribution of equipment (tents, clothing, stretchers, water purification systems, medical equipment, cutlery and crockery etc.) value at R28,121 million that has been made to UNAVEM III and which has been used to establish the first four quartering areas for demobilised UNITA soldiers.
The funds were spent in South Africa for the procurement of local equipment which was transported to Angola by the United Nations.
The United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative to Angola, Maitre Alioune Blondin Beye, has on more than one occasion, expressed the United Nations' gratitude for South Africa's moral support during the implementation of the peace process in Angola, as well as our material support for the establishment of the first four quartering areas and our willingness to provide facilities at the Waterkloof Air Force Base for use by the United Nations.
At a time when the most crucial step in the peace process was, and still is, the quartering of demobilised UNITA soldiers, South Africa's contribution ensured that the first four and most important quartering areas were completed on time. Without this contribution, the quartering process would have been further delayed, with detrimental effects for the peace process as a whole.
The tents were of high quality and were able to withstand the natural elements in Angola. The result has been that South African-manufactured tents are now in great demand by all the Angolan parties.
The reconstruction effort in Angola has paved the way for South African firms to supply much of the material and skills needed for rebuilding the country.
Since the elections in 1994, South Africa has become a major regional centre for United Nations operations, and that role will increase with peace keeping activities in Angola.
South Africa's share in procurement spending rocketed from $35 million in 1993 to $70 - $100 million in 1994, and is expected to keep on rising. Many supplies have already been bought in South Africa ranging from seeds, agricultural implements, blankets, plastic tarpaulins food such as soya foods and high protein biscuits to computer equipment.
D. Contributions to various Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations and Funds
The Government has indicated on a number of occasions that human rights is a cornerstone of its foreign policy and that South Africa cannot ignore suffering in other parts of the globe. Against this background South Africa decided to join a number of other countries in making contributions aimed at alleviating suffering, especially in the other countries on our continent.
A total amount of R1 260 000 was accordingly paid to various United Nations organisations and funds, principally the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other UN funds such as that for Technical Co-operation in the Field of Human Rights, the Fund for Mine Clearance and the Fund for Victims of Torture.
An amount of R560 000 was also paid to the International Committee of the Red Cross, part of which was South Africa's annual contribution.
E. Peacekeeping in Africa
In addition South Africa recently made a voluntary contribution to the UN of US$3 million for peacekeeping in Africa, following the UN General Assembly's decision to release South Africa from assessments totalling US$ 345 for the period September 1974 to June 1994.
In these ways South Africa is playing its role as a responsible and significant member of the international community, while demonstrating its commitment to human rights, humanitarianism and a better life for the violence ravaged countries and disadvantaged peoples of our continent and the world at large.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA, 26 APRIL 1996