Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT: ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
Consultations on development cooperation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America, represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), were held in Pretoria on 15 April 1998. An additional session was also held on 17 April 1998, which included civil society representatives who are closely involved in the implementation of the USAID Programme in South Africa. Agreed Minutes of the consultations were signed on 17 April 1998, at the Union Buildings. A press conference is planned for early May 1998, in order to highlight progress made during these consultations.
The consultations were conducted in a very positive and constructive atmosphere, taking the form of a strategic review of the progress which has been achieved thusfar under the USAID Programme in South Africa and discussions on possible new areas of future cooperation, in the light of changing development priorities in South Africa.
The South African delegation expressed its sincere thanks and appreciation for the efforts and resources which have been deployed by USAID in support of the reconstruction and development of South Africa.
The two delegations discussed ways of accelerating implementation and agreement was reached on ways in which certain implementation procedures could be improved, in order to facilitate the best possible delivery to the South African people. It was also agreed that additional discussions would be held, in order to develop ways to further increase collaboration on programme priorities, implementation and South African ownership of the Programme. These discussions will, inter alia focus on ways to establish closer linkages and interaction between those non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which play a significant role in the implementation of certain non-bilateral aspects of the USAID Programme, and their South African Government counterparts.
USAID complimented the Government of South Africa for engaging in a well structured process which permits all parties to openly discuss development-related issues. Joining with its partners in the various line-function government Departments, USAID discussed its programmes in the six strategic areas which form the focus of the current Programme in South Africa, namely democracy and governance, primary, adult, further and tertiary education and workforce development, primary health care and HIV/AIDS, economic policy capacity development, private sector development and environmentally sustainable housing and urban development.
The two delegations agreed to examine the possibility of adding additional strategic areas, for example, agriculture, based on a reprioritization of existing development objectives and guidance on new development priorities, which would be provided by the South African Government. During the consultations, the two delegations agreed to explore new areas of cooperation and examine the feasibility of extending such cooperation beyond the life of the current Programme.
Total funds which will be made available for development assistance during the 1998 USAID programme in South Africa amount to approximately R348 million. The USAID Programme in South Africa has provided more than R4,8 billion in economic assistance since its inception in 1984, with an overarching goal of providing support for the consolidation of democracy and the process of political, social and economic transformation in the country.
For further information, please contact: Mr Marco Boni of the Department of Foreign Affairs, telephone (012) 351-0174, or 083-443-7740 and Mr Tom Hull of the United States Information Services, TELEPHONE (012) 342-3006
ISSUED JOINTLY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRETORIA 17 APRIL 1997.