HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, 4 MARCH 1999
Madam Speaker
Honourable Members
For the last five years, I have had the pleasure of addressing this House on achievements made and challenges confronting our country in its interaction with the international community. Today, it is my privilege to address the last session of this democratically elected House.
The South African Government, and indeed, the Ministry and the Department of Foreign Affairs, have played a major role in moving South Africa from a pariah state to becoming a significant player on the world stage. South Africa was welcomed with open arms as a respected member of the community of nations.
Shortly after May 1994 we joined SADC as well as the OAU and we then resumed our seat at the United Nations.
Indeed we also became Chair of SADC and the Non-Aligned Movement, functions that we have carried out with distinction. It is with a sense of pride that as early as 1996 we became President of UNCTAD IX. We now look forward to the honour of hosting the Commonwealth Summit in November this year.
South Africa was re-admitted to the world community at a time of the demise of bipolar politics, and was obliged to interact in a completely changed and extremely complex international order.
Emerging from isolation has been a very intense experience. The most important and valuable lesson which we have learnt from the last five years has been that diplomacy is not about quick fixes. Diplomacy is also not a popularity contest. Diplomacy is about achieving lasting solutions to problems and building sustainable benefits for our country and region.
South Africa has had to carve a path for itself in an increasingly interdependent world. The liberalisation of national and international economic policies as well as the globalisation of economic interaction and financial transactions has meant that no country can isolate itself from important events, local or international. The almost instantaneous availability of information around the globe and the ability for direct communication between people through the advances in information technology has given new meaning to the global village.
At the same time, however, the increase in regional rivalries and internal tensions in many parts of the globe has meant that resources needed for development have instead been spent on conflicts. The fact that whole communities or countries have been marginalised, both socially and economically, through these processes has had a profound impact on the stability of all countries. Ensuring that South Africa can address the challenges and use the opportunities to our best advantage has occupied much of our time.
For South Africa, the primary focus remains our immediate environment, that is Southern Africa and the African continent as a whole. We have made it our mission to ensure that the needs of Africa are not ignored on the international stage.
The democratization process in South Africa contributed to the transformation of the Southern African Development Coordinating Committee into the Southern Africa Development Community - an organization devoted to the economic development of our countries, economic integration in our region, democratization, peace and stability. South Africa, as current Chair of SADC, is committed to strengthening the organization so that it can carry out its mandate in the interest and for the benefit of the region and its people. In its drive towards regional integration SADC has moved from formulating and ratifying protocols to the implementation phase.
SADC has achieved considerable success on the road to regional integration. The region has been able to develop a relatively good infrastructure which is essential for the emergence of a regional market. Member states have achieved varying degrees of success in adopting market- orientated macro-economic policies which in turn have contributed to long-term sustainable development and to a growth in intra-SADC trade which is expected to rise to some 30% of the total SADC trade with the outside world by the year 2000.
Substantial investments have been made in the region's telecommunications, railways, ports and road transport systems, while optimal transformation of spatial development corridors such as Maputo, Beira, Benguella, Trans-Kalahari and Tazara corridors can generate sustainable economic growth in the at present underdeveloped areas of the region.
Madam Speaker,
Without peace, there can be no development on our continent. South Africa has thus been actively involved since 1994 in international efforts aimed at bringing an end to the conflicts which have arisen on our continent. From the Rwandan genocide, which occurred at the time of the inauguration of our democratic government to the present crisis in the Comoros, our Government has been involved in seeking to restore peace to the countries involved. Central to our approach has been our conviction that political differences cannot, and should not, be solved by force. Our own experience clearly shows that only all-inclusive negotiations involving all parties to a conflict can lead to lasting peace.
In promoting regional peace and stability, SADC countries have undertaken to build and develop peace support missions. The first exercise of this nature, code-named Blue Hungwe, took place in Zimbabwe in April 1997. Consistent with our desire to promote regional peace-keeping capacity, we are proud to host the second exercise known as the Blue Crane in April this year. These efforts are proof of our commitment to peace and stability in our region and on the African continent as a whole.
In our region, we have been faced with serious problems in Lesotho, Angola and the DRC. The timely intervention by SADC forces prevented what was effectively a military coup against a democratically-elected government in the Kingdom of Lesotho. The intervention was at the request of the Prime Minister of Lesotho, and undertaken with the express intention of sending a strong signal that our region and continent will not tolerate the overthrow of democratically-elected governments. The positive result was the creation of conditions conducive to dialogue which has led to the creation of the Interim Political Authority, tasked with preparing for fresh elections.
In Angola, we have consistently supported the efforts of the United Nations Security Council to seek a solution to the Angolan problem. The international community should not relinquish its responsibility to seek a durable solution.
I take this opportunity to restate our commitment to United Nations Security Council Resolutions against UNITA and again call on all South Africans to fully comply with these sanctions. Similarly, we are concerned about persistent reports that South Africans continue to be involved in mercenary activities in Angola and other conflicts on the continent, such as in the DRC and Sierra Leone.
With regard to the DRC, we have also continued to play a pro-active role in trying to promote peace in that country. The South African approach is to resolve the conflict through SADC, in consultation with the OAU, in accordance with the principles decided upon at the SADC summit in Pretoria on the 23rd August 1998. These principles are:
Consultations by South Africa in Lubumbashi and Luanda, Harare, Kigali, Kampala, Addis Ababa, Lusaka and Gaborone were conducted in a concerted search for a peaceful resolution. While some important progress has been made, the situation remains volatile.
The conflict in the DRC is part of a larger problem affecting the Great Lakes region. South Africa has been playing a constructive role in international mediation efforts aimed at the resolution of the problems of Burundi.
The seriousness of the conflict in the Great Lakes region was once again demonstrated earlier this week by the brutal slaying of eight foreign tourists in Uganda. We vigorously condemn this barbaric act and call for strong action by the international community against those responsible. In the case of the Comoros, South Africa was appointed regional co-ordinator for the OAU to assist international efforts to find a peaceful solution to the separatist problem involving the islands of Anjouan and Moheli. In this context, South Africa has hosted regional meetings to address these problems and has also led two OAU fact-finding missions to the islands. Our collective efforts have led to an agreement for the holding of an inter-island conference to which all parties have committed themselves to finding a solution.
Madam Speaker,
We warmly welcome the ongoing process of democratization in Nigeria, courageously guided by the current Head of State, General Abubakar. We congratulate Chief Obasanjo on his victory in the Presidential elections held last weekend. We consider these positive developments in Nigeria to be of particular importance, for we view Nigeria as a vital partner in the promotion of the vision of an African Renaissance.
Honourable members,
Despite problems experienced in Africa the truth of the matter is that there is much to be proud of. It is easy for the positive developments on our continent to be overshadowed by the negative. There have been some heartening developments as regards commitment to democracy and sound economic policies: Progress in expanding economic interaction and strengthening regional cooperation throughout the continent is starting to show tangible benefits through increased intra-African trade.
Economic ties between South Africa and the rest of the continent have dramatically expanded. This is demonstrated by the increase in our trade with our fellow African countries, which rose from approximately R10,9 billion in 1994 to R25,3 billion in 1998, an increase of more than 130%. We will continue to work for the expansion of mutually beneficial two-way trade.
Our commitment to Africa and its development leads naturally to our commitment to the aspirations of the countries of the South as a whole.
From 1994 we have prioritised as integral to achieving our foreign policy objectives active membership and leadership roles in organisations and groupings of the South. The Group of 77 and China, UNCTAD and the ACP/Lome Convention are but a few of these examples.
In furthering our commitment to addressing the concerns and aspirations of developing countries, South Africa hosted the XII NAM Summit in Durban in September 1998. The Summit was one of the largest in the 43-year history of the Movement. It was attended by 46 Heads of State or Government and 70 Foreign Ministers, as well as by representatives of the Chairs of the Group of Eight (G8) and the European Union and other countries from the North attending for the first time such. The presence of so many Heads of State as well as guests from the North signalled the continued importance and validity of the Movement.
South Africa will lead the Movement over the next three years to enhance cooperation amongst the countries of the South ensuring that the positions and concerns of the South are fully understood by the countries of the North. In this regard, South Africa is consulting developing countries on the content of dialogue with the Group of Eight (G8) countries. Through this, we are laying the basis for an exchange of views between leaders of the developing and the developed world on pressing economic processes of global concern. They include international trade negotiations, the world financial crisis, and the debt burden of many developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDC's).
I should also add that a major political achievement of the Durban Summit was the decision that strongly reaffirmed the NAM's principled position on nuclear disarmament and the related issues of nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear tests. In this respect I am certain that the House will join me in congratulating both India and Pakistan on the historic Lahore Declaration and the agreement which emanated from the recent meeting between their two Premiers.
Madam Speaker,
Honourable Members
Another objective of the government in the post-sanctions era has been to break out of the narrow trading patterns we had prior to 1994, and to fully explore the trade, investment and cooperation potential throughout the developing world. However, growth in the regions of the South has dramatically increased, and has the most potential for further development. We have consciously expanded and strengthened relations with countries in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean in both the bilateral and multilateral areas. Joint commissions in both the political and economic spheres have been established with a number of countries. Two-way trade with Asia, the Middle East and Oceania doubled from a figure of R35,7 billion in 1994 to R72 billion in 1998.
Meanwhile, we have continued to strengthen our political and economic relations with the industrial North. In order to further enhance cooperation, a number of political and economic mechanisms, such as bi-national or joint commissions, were created with a number of countries. Europe remains South Africa's main economic partner. Fifty percent of South Africa's total trade is conducted with Europe and increased from R53 billion in 1994 to a R107 billion in 1998.
Despite these positive developments we are concerned that after four years of protracted and difficult negotiations, the EU-South Africa Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement has not been signed, because of the actions of some EU member states. This we believe is short-sighted and belies the stated objectives of assisting developing countries to achieve sustainable economic growth. We urge the EU to rise above limited narrow interests and bring the matter to a speedy conclusion.
Madam Speaker,
Honourable Members
Another major area of our engagement with the international community is multilateralism. Our experience in multilateral field has enormously increased our own capacity to understand and engage creatively and constructively with the world community. Were it not for multilateralism, the gains we have made, the experience we have accumulated and the relationships we have strengthened with practically all the countries of the world, would otherwise have been impossible in such a short span of five years. Above all, multilateralism allows the weaker or smaller countries to participate on an equal footing on the world stage.
Multilaterism offers us the ability to pursue the deepening and strengthening of a rules-based system which limits the possibility of unilateral actions by major powers.
Since 1994, we have made a number of advances across a comprehensive range of human rights issues including women and children's rights and the International Criminal Court, as well as in the fields of disarmament and non-proliferation.
Madam Speaker,
Honourable Members,
It was on the basis of a clear Government vision about its priorities and policies in disarmament, that South Africa was in a position to provide the key for the successful outcome of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). We also successfully chaired the first meetings for the launching of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In recognition of South Africa's role in the achievement of the African Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, the Treaty was named after the Pelindaba site. We are also a leading delegation in the negotiations for a Protocol to strengthen the Treaty banning biological weapons.
In the area of conventional weapons, we have significantly contributed to endeavours to free our people from the death and destruction wrought by these weapons. South Africa chaired and played a leading role in the Oslo negotiations which agreed a Convention banning anti-personnel mines. We have also been active in the Inhumane Weapons Convention forum, having ratified the Convention and its Protocols. Looking forward, our focus is to find a solution to the scourge of the illicit proliferation of small arms, which do not only endanger the lives of peoples elsewhere, but which also lie at the root of many conflicts on our continent as well as of the violent crime in our own country. To assist this policy it has also recently been decided by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) that surplus stocks of small arms in possession of the SANDF and the SAPS will be destroyed rather than sold, a step which has not only placed us at the forefront of the international debate on the issue, but which has also been widely recognised as such. South Africa has received congratulatory messages from the Secretary General of the United Nations and from the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) for this unprecedented initiative.
I would also like to report that the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Landmines and on their destruction, which Parliament considered during its 1998 Session, entered into force on 1 March 1999. South Africa, as a State party to the Convention, is working together with a number of international partners, including the Government of Mozambique to ensure that the First Meeting of States party to the Convention, which is to be held in Maputo during the first week of May, is a success.
Honourable Members
In addition, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) has been tabled for consideration in both Houses of Parliament. Its adoption would enable us to play a larger role in this area.
Moreover, I am pleased to announce that in recognition of South Africa's role in the disarmament field, the African Group has decided to nominate Mr Selebi, our Director-General as its candidate for the Presidency of the 2000 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This nomination has also been endorsed by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Honourable Members,
An integral part of our aspirations is to see the emergence of a more equitable international order. The reform and renewal of multilateral institutions, in particular the United Nations, and the World Bank and the IMF, remains one of our priorities.
The restructuring and reform of the UN Security Council is probably the single most important step to more equitable international relations. In 1997 I raised the question of South Africa having to consider whether it is prepared to serve as a permanent member of the Security Council and called for a national debate. It is imperative that we have that debate.
Madam Speaker,
Since the beginning of the democratic process to transform South Africa, Pretoria has become one of the busiest diplomatic capitals in the world. We now have over 126 diplomatic missions not counting international agencies represented in our country. We, in turn, have diplomatic relations with almost all countries of the world, and relations with over 70 international agencies. We maintain these relations through a network of 90 missions, a number which has increased threefold in the last ten years. At the same time, it is necessary to expand our residential relations to other countries of importance to us.
Over the past five years South Africa has been visited by 73 Heads of State or Government, each one coming to discuss issues of substantive interest to our bilateral or multilateral relations. During the same period our President undertook 83 official visits outside the country. This level and intensity is unsurpassed.
We are committed to fiscal discipline. However, the operational budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs has declined from R1289 million in the 1997/1998 financial year to R1137 million for the next financial year. For the 1999/2000 financial year, only R80 million has been provided to compensate for estimated exchange rate losses of R179 million already incurred. Clearly, this will restrict the scope of the department as the lions share of this vote is spent in foreign currencies. Without taking any other factors such as inflation into account, it is clear that the operational budget of Foreign Affairs has declined by R232 million (or 18%) over the last two years.
Despite these limitations, the demands made of us will not decrease. The importance of our function to the achievement of the national priorities of government will not diminish. The need to address the problems in our region, and the costs involved, remain critical.
Madam Speaker,
Clearly we will not be able to serve the best interests of government if this situation persists. We have been successful beyond our aspirations these past five years. We wish to maintain this high standard of work while remaining true to our foreign policy principles and to our constitution. As part of the ongoing efforts to support the cost-saving efforts of government, the Department has been engaged since 1994 in a process to transform and refocus our department and our missions. Our many results speak for the success of this process. The latest step in this process was the recently held Heads of Mission Conference to prepare us for the challenges of the new millennium.
Madam Speaker,
Honourable Members,
In conclusion, I wish to place on record my appreciation to all Ministers and their Departments who have worked as partners with us these past five years. I also wish to thank the organs of civil society and academia for their continued interest and inputs.
I also wish to thank most sincerely my Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad, the Director-General, the Deputy Directors-General and the staff of the Department, both at Head Office and abroad, for their hard work. Let me also thank all the members of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs for their support and interest. It has been a truly hectic but fulfilling past four years.