Issued by Department Of Foreign Affairs
30 November 2000
The annual consultations between the South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Aziz Pahad and his Spanish counterpart, Mr Miquel Nadal, will take place on 1 December 2000 in Pretoria.
Deputy Minister Pahad and Mr Nadal will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The objective of the MOU is to create a permanent mechanism for regular consultation between the two countries on matters of common interest, as well as to exchange views on international affairs. Provision is also made for cooperation in the field of training diplomats, eg fellowships, training sessions and exchanges. It is further envisaged that multilateral cooperation will be undertaken.
The MOU makes provision for annual consultations between the respective Ministers and/or Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, alternatively in Pretoria and Madrid or a third venue of neutral choice (eg New York). This meeting will constitute the first annual consultations in terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and will be concluded with the signing ceremony of the MOU.
The Ministers will discuss political and economic relationship between the two countries and also the outcomes of the EU/SADC Ministerial Conference that was held from 28-30 November 2000 in Botswana. SADC has since 1994 benefited from the special arrangements and provisions established under the Berlin Initiative. This dialogue has led to a number of special programmes such as drug control, landmine actions and the holding of thematic conferences (illicit drugs, HIV/AIDS, water, transport, democracy, etc) and can be said to have speeded up specific assistance to regional integration in SADC. Regional integration is a main theme under the Berlin Initiative.
Spain is an important partner of South Africa, especially in the EU context and will hold the EU Presidency in the first half of 2002 when the EMU will become a reality. Multilateral cooperation will form part of the discussions, notably Spanish support for debt relief and the reform of the international financial architecture. Spain for instance, has cancelled all Mozambique’s external debt
In 1999 Spain ranked 16th in total bilateral trade with South Africa. The trade surplus was R 1,4 billion in South Africa's favour. The Spanish Government recently provided cash injection of R 15, 7 million to the South African tourism industry to promote skills development under the auspices of the South African Tourism Institute (SATI). Spain is the third international tourism industry and has demonstrated remarkable skills development in achieving this position.
A Spanish financing institution, Cofides, will be providing the funds for the first time in Africa, for an infrastructure project, namely the N4 Platinum Highway that is part of the Platinum Corridor, a Spatial Development Initiative that will link the North and North West Provinces with the Maputo harbour in the east, through its links to the Maputo Corridor and to Namibia in the west via the Trans-Kalahari Highway. Cofides will be providing R140 million in funding to the Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (BPCC). A leading Spanish construction company, "Groupo Dragados" will be its partner. The Spanish company BP Solar, has successfully concluded a pilot project and will soon be undertaking the electrification (non-grid) of several rural communities in Kwazulu Natal (approximately 10 000 households). The large Spanish company, "Union Fenosa" was also established in Johannesburg as the hub for their Southern African operations. Commercial projects in the telecommunication filed to the value of R170 million have also been undertaken.
In the aftermath of the Millennium summit, it is seen as appropriate to jointly discuss follow-up initiatives regarding issues relating to international peace and security, poverty eradication and development and addressing the special needs of Africa.
For more information, please contact Dumisani Rasheleng
Office No.(012) 351 0067/0128
Cell No. 083 709 8166