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YOKOHAMA DECLARATION 2013 ADOPTED AT
CONCLUSION OF TICAD V |
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TICAD is a strategic partnership between Africa and Japan that was launched in 1993, with a view to serve as a consultative forum for development assistance to Africa. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the TICAD Process and this coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the OAU/AU. |
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The Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) concluded with leaders from Africa and Japan adopting the Yokohama Declaration 2013 and Action Plan 2013 – 2017. The conference, held from 1 to 3 June, was attended by over 40 heads of state and government, including President Jacob Zuma.
The declaration affirms the key role of the private sector as an engine of growth and highlights the support and strengthening of the private sector, promoting greater private investment and improving the investment climate and legal and regulatory frameworks.
The action plan covers a wide range of areas, including:
• boosting economic growth
• accelerating infrastructure and capacity development
• empowering farmers as mainstream economic actors
• promoting sustainable and resilient growth
• creating an inclusive society for growth
• consolidating peace, stability, democracy and good governance
• the follow-up mechanism.
The TICAD-V Summit was held under the theme, "Hand in Hand with a Dynamic Africa", a theme that symbolises the growing economic statute of Africa in the global economy. South Africa's participation in the TICAD meetings was premised on the African Union’s strategic objective of ensuring that all global partnerships with Africa should support the African development priorities, while also strengthening Africa's participation in global affairs as an equal partner.
President Zuma also met Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on 4 June to review bilateral relations and exchange views on critical regional and global issues. President Zuma was accompanied by a delegation of Cabinet ministers, including the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; the Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk; Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies; Minister in The Presidency, Collins Chabane; Deputy Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene; and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Hlengiwe Mkhize.
In 2010, South Africa and Japan celebrated 100 years of relations, which were elevated to a Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Japan has consistently been one of South Africa's three major trading partners. Over the past years, bilateral trade and investment have grown substantially with further opportunity for growth. Japan contributes to skills development in South Africa through training facilities managed by the Japan International Cooperative Agency. |
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INDIA-BRAZIL-SOUTH AFRICA PARTNERSHIP (IBSA) FORUM CELEBRATES 10 YEARS |
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This year marks a special occasion for the IBSA Dialogue Forum, as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. |
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This milestone provides an opportunity for the IBSA leadership to consolidate its successes and analyse the challenges while simultaneously mapping a strategic outlook for the forum. IBSA began as a search for an alternative paradigm in global geo-politics and geo-economics, seeking to optimise solidarity, development and pluralism. The Dialogue Forum is constituted of four respective pillars, namely Global Political Cooperation, Technical Cooperation, the IBSA Fund as well as People-to-People Fora.
As we prepare for the next IBSA Summit to be hosted by India this year, we will celebrate a special moment for IBSA at this 10-year juncture. To this end, there is no doubt that the tectonic shift in the international balance political and economic powers experienced in the last decade can be attributed to the foresight and vision demonstrated by the leaders of India, Brazil and South Africa, when they launched the IBSA Dialogue Forum through the Brasilia Declaration in 2003. |
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| NORTHERN CAPE GOVERNMENT HOSTS KIMBERLEY PROCESS (KP) MINING CONFERENCE |
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The KP comprises 54 participants, representing 80 countries and its members account for approximately 98,8% of the global production of rough diamonds. |
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The KP Mining Conference is scheduled to take place from 4 to 7 June 2013 in Kimberley.
The KP is a collaborate event that was initiated 10 years ago by several governments, industry bodies and civil society to stem the illegal trade of conflict diamonds. The KP is designed to stop the trade in illegal diamonds, which has ravaged the African continent and undermine democratically elected governments. |
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MINISTER VAN SCHALKWYK TO LEAD NEW UN WORLD TOURISM ORGANISATION INITIATIVE |
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| “I believe it will be possible to unlock meaningful, new financial resources to further our work in the tourism sector by dramatically scaling up our share of official development assistance (ODA).” |
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During a meeting of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in Belgrade, Serbia, the Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, was requested to lead a new UNWTO commission on tourism and development. Members of the working group included France, Germany, Kenya, Jamaica, Egypt, Mexico, Korea, Mauritania and Belgium.
"In so many instances, integration across policy domains and greater policy coherence and collaboration at a global level are indicated. One such area is the often underestimated contribution of tourism to development and the millennium development goals (MDGs). There is a sweet spot at the intersection of the three policy imperatives of tourism development, social inclusion and green growth that we have been ignoring to our detriment and that could hold the key to substantial new resources,” Minister van Schalkwyk said.
He added that in 2012, total ODA globally was US$130 billion. Of this, US$90 billion was bilateral ODA and US$40 billion multilateral ODA. The tourism sector received only US$124 million of the US$130 000 million ODA disbursed globally, i.e. 0,09% of total ODA.
“For a sector that is responsible for 9% of global gross domestic product, 30% of total world exports in services and one in every 11 jobs worldwide, that seems hardly enough. We have a major task ahead of us to convince the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Assistance Committee, the World Bank, regional development banks, developed-country donors and other UN agencies of our sector’s important contribution to poverty eradication, the green economy and the achievement of the MDGs.” |
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CABINET APPROVES CHARTER FOR AFRICAN CULTURAL RENAISSANCE |
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Ratification of the charter enhances protection of African cultural values and cultural heritage and promotes the spirit of Pan-Africanism. |
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Cabinet recently approved that the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance be submitted to Parliament for approval of ratification in terms of Section 231 (92) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
The ratification of the charter by government is a response to the Declaration on Cultural Renaissance and Shared Values of the 16th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government, which was held in Equatorial Guinea on January 2011, and the launch of the AU campaign on the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance, which took place in late 2011 in South Africa.
The charter promotes the unification of culture, arts, cultural values, language, heritage as well as cultural and creative industries as central to sustainable development. This has the potential to contribute to the growth of the economy and social cohesion. The charter is aligned to the New Growth Path, the National Development Plan, the White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage and the Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy. |
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SA,EU LAUNCH HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE |
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“Given South Africa's history and fight for human rights, achieving fundamental freedom and dignity is important for all South Africans.” |
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Policing, violence against women, migration, racism and human rights were among the matters discussed at the launch of the Structured Dialogue Forum on Human Rights between South Africa and the European Union (EU). The launch, presided over by the Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Jerry Matjila, was held in Pretoria on 27 May 2013. The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Stavros Lambrinidis, was also in attendance.
Director-General Matjila said given South Africa's history and fight for human rights, achieving fundamental freedom and dignity was important for all South Africans. “Forging a partnership with the EU should advance significantly the realisation of this common objective.”
Mr Lambrinidis said protecting and promoting human and fundamental rights was a core objective of the EU's foreign policy."We consider South Africa, with its history of struggle for liberation, a key partner in achieving this goal in Africa, Europe and the world."
The forum will meet annually, alternating between Pretoria and Brussels. The next session is expected to be held in Brussels in 2014. |
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MINISTER MASHATILE LAUNCHES THE FRAMEWORK ON 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS |
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Social cohesion ambassadors from various sectors of society signed a declaration of commitment, pledging their support for the mobilisation of society in the build-up towards the 20th Anniversary of Democracy and Freedom. |
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The Minister of Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile, launched the Framework towards the 20th Anniversary Celebrations of South Africa’s Freedom and Democracy at Freedom Park, Pretoria. The framework incorporates and builds on the declarations and plans emanating from the Social Cohesion Summit.
The launch marked the commencement of a year-long process of mobilising all sectors of society to participate in campaigns that reflect our democratic achievements. The framework aims to deepen our understanding of where we come from as a nation and how our democracy was achieved. Among others things, this will identify and celebrate our untold stories and unsung heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle in every community and every workplace and inspire confidence and build a positive image of South Africa as a proud and caring nation. |
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GOOGLE INVESTS IN SOUTH AFRICA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY |
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Once complete, the Jasper project will be one of the largest solar installations in Africa, capable of generating enough electricity to power 30 000 homes in the country. |
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Search engine giant Google has invested R103 million in the Jasper Power Project, a 96-Megawatt solar photovoltaic plant near Upington in the Northern Cape.
The project will be developed and funded by United States solar energy project development firm SolarReserve, wind and solar farm developer Intikon Energy and empowerment investment company, the Kensani Group.
It is also backed by Rand Merchant Bank, the Public Investment Corporation, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Peace Humansrus Trust. |
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SOUTH AFRICA TO HOST THE FIRST SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION SUMMIT |
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The planned dialogue during the summit provides a platform to explore ways to enhance coordination between government and the private sector. |
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South Africa will host the first Science, Technology and Innovation Summit from 20 to 21 July 2013.
The summit will enable participants to explore ways in which science, technology and innovation can play a significant role in our journey towards a knowledge-based economy and realisation of Vision 2030. |
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NEW SMART ID CARDS LAUNCHED |
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The Department of Home Affairs plans to issue the smart card ID to all South Africans over the next eight years as it phases out the current green bar-coded ID book. |
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This week, the Minister of Home Affairs, Naledi Pandor, became the first person to receive one of South Africa's new smart ID cards, containing biometric data embedded in a microchip and designed to cut down on fraud while enabling faster delivery of government services.
Containing microchips embedded with biometric data unique to each individual, and with the information laser-engraved on the chip to prevent tampering, the new IDs will be near impossible to forge, according to the department.
The cost of the new IDs will be the same as the amount paid for the green bar-coded IDs, which currently cost R140. IDs are free for first-time applicants.
The new ID will take about three days for applicants to receive – compared to a 54-day turnaround time for the green bar-coded ID. |
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