5 february 2000
Master of Ceremony, Deputy Minister Pahad
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
The mayor of Cape Town
All Ministers present
The Director General of Foreign Affairs
All our Sponsors for this evening
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I cannot but marvel at the choice of Cape Town as the venue for this gathering, to kick off what we all now look upon as the African Century. Cape Town, referred to as the Mother City, is considered by many of us here to be one of the most beautiful cities on the globe. Its position at the southern tip of the continent provides therefore, the perfect setting for this occassion.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are at a point in the history of our country where we have completed ten years since that fateful day on the 2nd of Fefruary 1990. The significance, therefore of the opening of parliament yesterday, ten years on, and of your attendance at this function, is that many countries represented here tonight played a critical role in support of our strugle against apartheid South Africa that lad to that fateful day.
Although this support was seen and felt at many different times during our struggle, the most critical moment was when the international community, through the internatinal organisations, adopted the Harare Declaration which concretised and crystallised the support to our cause and compelled the then government to respond as it did on February 2, 1990.
The speech delivered on that day was the beginning of a process that finally led to the birth of a new South Africa and the reconstruction of a shattered and fragmented society into the non-racist, non-sexist, democratic South Africa that we are all proud to be a part of.
Ladies and gentlemen, while during the period 1994 to 1999 our government focused its efforts primarily on internal affairs, more specifically on the important task of the reconstruction of our country, our obligations on the international front have increasingly expanded, especially in international fora.
We find ourselfesa now at the forefront of the collective efforts of nations to brfing about normality to all societies. Our President said" in his State of the Nation address, that in the same way that the rest of the world stood by us in our struggle, "we have an obligation ourselves to contribute to the construction of a better world for all humanity'. I am proud to say that South Africa will not neglect that obligation.
Our Chairmanship of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Developm ent (UNCTAD), the Non Aligned Movement (NAM), and the Commonwealth presents some of the examples of how South Africa is expected to make a meaningful contribution in the world.
Through SADC and the OAU, South Africa has also played an active role in trying to secure a region and a continent of peace and stability, where democracy, justice and respect for human right prevails. In our quest for a better life for the people of our country we cannot allow ourselves to become an island of prosperity and peace while surrounded by poverty and strife.
Globalisation is one of the major challenges that we will have to face in this century. However, through constructive engagement with our Southern partners and through co-operation with countries from the North, we are committed to work towards creating a better world order, focused on the role of developing countries.
The engagement of foreign governments in our society is crucial for our success in the face of the immense challenges we face in this century. Currently, over 120 countries are accredited to South Africa and I am happy that so many of their heads of mission are with us tonight. We thank you all for your support.
The levels and extent of developmental and other assistance given to South Africa have played and will continue to play an important role towards creating a more equitable society in our country.
Our interaction with the international community has not onlyh incrreased significantly over the last five years; it has also become more multifaceted. In the areas of culture and sport in particular, South Africa has made substantian inroads into the international scene.
The rich sounds of the Soweto String Quartet - just back from a tour of the United Stated, and the Sylvia Mdunyelwa Band tonight, are clear examples of what Africa and in particular South Africa has to offer.
As we speak, countless people in the African continent, watching the African Cup of Nations, support our Bafana Bafana.
This and the performance of our boys in the African Cup games has certainly added one more reaseon why we should host the 2006 Soccer World Cup her in South Africa and for the first ever, on the African Continent.
Who can forget the glory of the 1995 Rugby World Cup"? The promise of the 2003 Cricket World Cup to reach the same heights can only serve as an inspiration to us. Ladies and gentlemen your support in bringing world soccer to Africa for the first time will contributeenourmously to realising our collective dream of an African Century. We arfe convinced that through your support and encouragement we will see our country reach new heights in 2000 and beyond.
I would like to conclude with the words of our President at the Millennium debate in parliament at the the end of last year. "We see our entire continent at the ready to join in a powerful movement of the peoples of Africa for the realisation of Africa's Century". What better place to highlight that than here in Cape Town, at the tip of Africa!
I am sure that those of us who reside in this city will attest to that fact. I am sure that they will also agree with me that the social callendar in Cape Town has been particularly full this week.
May we see a new movement take off from here to Cairo,
Towards Our Century
I Thank you