"SOLIDARITY FOR THE FUTURE", NORTH/SOUTH CONFERENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
25 - 29 MAY 1998, BERNE, SWITZERLAND
Mr. Chairman,
Your Excellency, Mr. Flavio Cotti, President of the Swiss Confederation and
Foreign Minister of Switzerland;
Your Excellency Mwalimu Julius Nyerere
Your Excellencies;
Esteemed participants and guests:
I am honoured to represent South Africa and its people on this occasion and, collectively, we are honoured by the recognition implied by your invitation. We are indeed proud of the peaceful transition to democracy that has been achieved in our country.
I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you the views and experiences of our country and of our continent as we grapple with development issues. I also wish to urge you to remain as positively committed as you are and to continue contributing to solutions to achieve sustainable development.
SOUTH AFRICA AND DEVELOPMENT
The experience of South Africa regarding sustainable development, as well as its expectations, are relevant to the extent that they represent a microcosm of the experiences and expectations of the developing world. Development is about raising the standards of living and quality of people's lives. In South Africa our main preoccupation is to achieve that for the vast majority of our people who, during the apartheid era, were not able to share all the benefits our country is capable of providing.
South Africa in its short history as a true democracy has tried hard to assume its responsibility amongst nations and towards its own people by active participation in bodies such a the Human Right Commission, the Disarmament Commission, the Commission on Sustainable Development, UNCTAD and conventions such Climate Change, Desertification and Biodiversity. South Africa believes that sustainable development requires global co-operation, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Poverty and unsustainable production and consumption patterns, are interrelated and are among the major causes of environmental degradation.
However, individual countries like South Africa can not address such problems alone and innovative partnerships within and between countries of the South and North are imperative. We therefore see the process as a co-operative one: Co-operation in the first instance with our neighbours; cooperation with the rest of Africa; and cooperation with the other developing nations of the South. We equally believe that the countries of the North have a crucial role to play in support of the efforts of the South.
As a developing country which is newly establishing its foreign relations, South Africa clearly wishes to strengthen its ties with the countries of the South. That is the first leg on which our relations stand. The second is the building of strong relationships with the countries of the North. There is a third leg, which is to contribute to the strengthening of the position of the developing countries in international organisations.
AFRICAN RENAISSANCE
Debates in international forums, on development and the environment, may create the impression that this is a debate dominated by constant demands from the South, especially Africa, on the North, while receiving very few commitments in return.
As far as our continent is concerned we do not believe in an African exceptionalism which condemns Africa alone to continual reports of famine, scenes of emaciated children, to coups and civil conflict, to a view that Africa alone is incapable of development, or of establishing and maintaining systems of good governance.
There are important changes taking place in Africa.
To name a few:
African leaders have made it clear that Africa is opposed to military
coups. During the present decade at least 25, of the 50 countries have
established multiparty democracies and held elections. The OAU has played
a central role in this by the adoption of the African Charter of Human
Rights and People's Rights and the establishment of the Central Organ for
the Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts.
African governments increasingly introduce new economic policies, creating conditions that will attract domestic and foreign investors, redefine the role of the state and encourage growth of the private sector. African economies are starting to grow faster than their populations and in 1997 eleven countries experienced growth rates in excess of 6%.
In order to overcome the disadvantages of small markets, regional associations are being developed. South Africa currently chairs the fourteen member Southern African Development Community (SADC) which now also includes the Democratic Republic of Congo. SADC is working towards a free trade area, which will have a total population of over 100million. Other initiatives include the co-ordinated development of infrastructure throughout the region. The goal towards which the member states are steadily working is the improvement of conditions for further development and ultimately the improvement of the standard of living.
Common regional problems that are being tackled include the building of a regional peace making and peacekeeping ability, combating transnational crime, as well as traffic in narcotic drugs and fire-arms.
There is an African initiative I wish to mention in particular. Some of the greatest needs and challenges facing Africa are connectivity and communication within Africa and with the outside world; ready access to current information and knowledge for decision-maker, the ordinary citizen and for students, which the new Information Technology now makes possible. President, Mandela, describes improved telecommunications and access to information as a factor fundamental to growth and development as Africa strives to become globally competitive.
In response to this need South Africa hosted the Information Society and Development (ISAD) conference in May 1996 and the ITU Africa Telecom 98 Conference in May this year. The theme of the latter was "Strategies for Sustainable Development". Because of the lack of ready access to the Global Information Society, President Mandela proposed a dedicated African Telecommunications Development Fund. African telecommunications ministers responded by producing a report containing co-ordinated proposals for Africa's launch into the Global Information Society. It is hoped that the donor community, multilateral organisations and investors will utilise the untapped opportunities this development offers.
We believe therefore that there are concrete signs of progress and that Africa is taking greater control of its own destiny, that we have the right to talk about an African Renaissance. South Africa will continue to promote and encourage this process.
SOUTH AFRICA AND THE SOUTH
After the 1994 elections the democratic Government in South Africa inherited a country that had several features of a modern progressive state. There are high-rise city centres with bustling traffic and intercity highways, extensive mining operations, a developed manufacturing industry and sophisticated financial institutions.
A perception therefore exists that South Africa is able to look after its own needs and, in addition can be a source of assistance to our continent. However, especially members of this audience, will know how few of our citizens benfitted from this apparent development and what a vast development task remains before the great majority of our people will be able to shake off the shackles of poverty an underdevelopment. The fact is that what South Africa can contribute is relatively modest, but it is intent on making a contribution where it has a chance of being effective.
When South Africa resumed participation in UN forums it was classified as a developed country in certain instances. This has changed. South Africa now participates as an active member of the G77 and China in the various UN bodies and processes. At the end of August this year South Africa will host the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, commencing a three year Chairmanship during which it will act as spokesperson for NAM views and policies. Expectations of NAM member countries for a more just, non-discriminatory and equitable international economic order have not been fulfilled. NAM member countries agree that they have to work towards the attainment of development goals, which underlie sustainable development, through self-reliance, South/South co-operation, North/South dialogue and the pursuit of social justice. In spite of increased interdependence and globalisation, marginalisation and the growing gap between rich and poor, remains a reality. The eradication of poverty, not to mention the achievement of sustainable economic growth, remains a distant goal for many countries, particularly the least developed.
Because some problems are not confined within national boundaries, it has become quite clear that a global effort is required if countermeasures are to be effective. This has been clearly demonstrated, amongst others, by international consultative efforts to combat the effects of global warming and climate change. Solidarity of a global nature is also essential when considering the ongoing challenge of under-development.
Business and trade is increasingly conducted within the context of a globalising and liberalising world, which is widely held to present new opportunities for growth and development. Countries, however, participate in this global system from very different starting points. Developing and especially the Least Developed Countries (LDC's) continue to experience difficulties such as access to markets, appropriate technology and capital. In South Africa's present negotiations for a trade and development agreement with the European Union, South Africa is experiencing how access for agricultural products remains limited by the measures to protect heavily subsidised European agricultural production.
South Africa as current President of UNCTAD will take the lead in working towards the attainment of the goals contained in the Midrand Declaration of UNCTAD IX. In order for developing countries and LDC's (the majority of the latter are in Africa) to diversify their products and markets, the Midrand Declaration states that they need investment, human resource development, improved technological capacities, skills and support infrastructure. This is required in order to raise production and product quality to meet the requirements of global markets. The Declaration further emphasises the need for international assistance, enhanced market access, development finance and investment, and technical co-operation. These are preconditions for growth and sustainable development.
Member countries of NAM agree that the eradication of poverty and achievement of economic growth and sustainable development remain crucial for lasting peace and security. In Africa, extreme poverty adds to insecurity and bloodshed, and in this regard a great task remains. For these reasons South Africa welcomes the renewed efforts by the UN system such as the New Agenda for the Development of Africa which seeks to address Africa's problems at the economic, social and political levels. This has been reinforced by the UN Secretary General's reform proposals as they affect the development issue.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Chairperson, the conclusion we draw is that a global effort of all countries is required. This is how we would like to interpret "Solidarity", in the title of Conference. It is important that developed countries re-assess their own positions with regard to sustainable development. President Mandela, in a speech at the UN World Summit for Social Development in 1995, noted that:
"technological advance has narrowed the plains and oceans dividing nations. The era, in inter-state relations, in which military considerations were placed above socio-economic imperatives, has come to an end. Our common habitat is in danger. We either rise together as humanity, or together fall."
>From past experience, we should all have learnt many lessons. Harsh and sometimes inappropriate structural adjustment programmes, ineffective and short-sighted debt restructuring, environmentally destructive development and selfish nationalism, have all contributed to the current lack of progress on sustainable development as envisaged by the Rio Conference in 1992. The recent Rio + 5 Conference ended in disappointment. While some may argue that expectations were too high, others argue that real commitment was too low.
The whole concept of development, as encapsulated in the phrase, "Sustainable Development" has been explored very thoroughly by the Global Community. The Rio Earth Summit, (UNCED) inseparably linked the concepts of care for the environment and socio-economic development. The task ahead as set out in Agenda 21 received general acceptance by both developed and developing countries. However, it has almost become impolite to refer to the commitment made by developed countries to reach the UN target of 0.7%. In 1996 official development assistance (ODA) shrank to an all time low of only 0.25% of donor GNP. It remains true, however, that without substantial new and additional resources the poorer countries will not be able to make significant progress. Implementation of Agenda of Agenda 21 will lose momentum.
Also, the international financial system has failed to provide adequate new financial flows for development.
The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development contained some far-reaching principles about which we should not hesitate to remind ourselves. They include the need to eradicate at least extreme poverty if we are to begin to achieve sustainable development.
Another principle is the need to reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.
Henrique Cavalcanti, Chair of CSD-3, emphasised that sustainable development cannot be achieved in its economic, environmental, institutional and social dimensions without sustainable consumption patterns. In this regard it is noted that the industrialised countries, who comprise 25 % of the world's population, account for 80% of the global consumption of natural resources, 75% of municipal and industrial waste and have contributed almost 80% of man-made global carbon dioxide emissions since 1950. Hence, in accordance with Agenda 21, developed countries should take the lead in achieving sustainable consumption and production patterns. As the largest contributor to carbon dioxide emissions on the African continent, South Africa has already taken initiatives to reduce these.
Agenda 21 calls for action to promote and finance the access to and transfer of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) to developing countries, on concessional and preferential terms. A holistic approach is needed for such transfers. It should include the development of human and institutional capacity and ability to apply, maintain, adapt and disseminate these technologies. The adoption of new technologies, and in particular leading edge environmentally sound technologies, is often prohibitively expensive for developing countries. In this regard I would like to emphasise that ODA should include programmes that will provide developing countries access to these technologies.
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINALBE DEVELOPMENT
The sixth session of the CSD in New York provided encouraging signs that the realities and need for global co-operation are increasingly recognised. In his opening statement the Chairman of CSD-6 highlighted the role of industry in sustainable development. On the one hand industry is the main consumer of the earth's natural resources and consequently a major contributor to unsustainability. On the other hand, it remains the biggest potential contributor to and provider of funds for sustainalbe development. The new programme of work of the CSD provides for policy discussions, exchanges of experience and elaboration of common approaches both in the economic and environment sectors. CSD-6 presented a departure from previous meetings of the CSD because of the active involvement of industry, trade unions, NGO's and other major groups, with government delegates, in the interactive dialogue sessions. This will hopefully prove to be a recognition of the global need for a strong partnership among all stakeholders, aimed at achieving global sustainable development.
CSD-6 also focussed on strategic approaches to freshwater management. For Africa, freshwater is an issue of vital importance. It provides a reminder that there is complacency as new issues are bound to continue arising before old ones are resolved. The fact that this conference is taking place, and the topic chosen, is a clear indication that the organisers and participants are fully aware of the need for the North to be actively involved with the South and vice versa.
SWISS/SOUTH AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT CO-OPERATION
May I take this opportunity to thank the Swiss government and other bodies, including the presenters of this important conference, for their involvement in my country and especially the Eastern Cape area. Swiss development co-operation with South Africa has over the past few years focussed on areas such as the development of housing infrastructure, Education, support for the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, support for the Central Statistical Services with the maintenance of local government statistics, as well as assistance with Consititutional Assembly Administration. In addition, bliateral co-operation through international organisations such as the ILO, UNDP and UNCTAD was realised, as well as co-operation in land affairs with NGOs such as IDASA, AFRICON and LAPC. Direct support to NGO's and the private sector in the field of human rights, conflict resolution, education, school development, land issues and local development, pilot and small projects has also been of great value to my country.
As we are nearing the end of the current five year phase of development co-operation between Switzerland and South Africa, it is appropriate that we examine constructive ways in which co-operation can be developed in future.
>From a South African point of view, the Swiss focus on capacity building with regard to local government development, justice, democratisation and conflict mediation is very valuable. Swiss assistance beyond the year 2000, especially with regard to the more "intangible" side of development, such as intellectual development and the creation of a democratic culture and mind-set, is of vital importance to the development process in my country. This is a long-term process and is in line with the importance our government attaches to economic capacity development.
In this regard, the development of SMMEs and their sustainable participation in the economic activities of the country should be emphasised. Local governments should be trained to manage and support the development and integration of these enterprises into the process of development, i.e policy and administrative advisory services. The necessity arises to steer co-operation more toward decentralised development and private sector co-operation to achieve the overall aim of growth and employment. It is important to find a balance between indirect poverty reduction and the promotion of productive employment and growth. In the longer term it is the structure building of these last-mentioned measures that assume the greater importance.
I wish to emphases that my country values Switzerland's current focus on specific projects in the poorer regions, such as the housing and education projects in the Eastern Cape. It is our view that many of these projects could, over the next few years, be continued and even expanded to also include other areas in need. Continued support for NGOs is also an important facet of future development co-operation which we could build on in the next few years.
As a foreign policy objective, South Africa views its co-operation with and the development of the southern African region as crucial for the well-being of all the people of the region. Switzerland has already expressed an interest in providing assistance to the region, especially in the areas of peace co-operation. A course of action would have to be planned in close liaison with the SADC, but there are ample opportunities for increased co-operation within a regional framework and we would welcome Switzerland's assistance.
In conclusion, may I state that I am sure that his conference will make an important contribution to the understanding of the all-important topic of "Solidarity for the Future", and will help to heighten awareness and narrow the focus on those areas requiring priority attention. I wish you a most fruitful conference and success in your deliberations.