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Statement by Minister Dlamini Zuma on
the State of Readiness to Host the WSSD in South Africa
In not so a distant future, the international community
will one more time, have an opportunity to meet in Johannesburg,
South Africa from 26 August-04 September 2002 for the
World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).
As South Africa, we are indeed ready to welcome, receive
and host this largest gathering of the family of nations
to deal with the most important issues facing humanity
today- eradication of poverty and under-development.
The PrepCom IV meeting in Bali should therefore be
seen as constituting in important step forward in the
irreversible march to the Summit in Johannesburg and
the goal of pushing back the frontiers of poverty and
under-development.
The WSSD in Johannesburg should also be seen in the
context of various other processes
that are part of the building blocks towards the Summit
such as the Financing for Development Conference held
in Monterrey, Mexico and the new WTO round that began
in Doha, Qatar.
The road to Johannesburg has seen preparations at both
national and regional levels through PrepComs I, II,
III and indeed Bali today for PrepCom IV. Accordingly
we express our gratitude to the Government and people
of Indonesia for the hospitality and leadership with
which they have received us and guided us through the
processes.
As South Africa, we are greatly honoured and privileged
to have been given the responsibility by the UN to host
the Summit. Therefore on behalf of the government and
the people of our country- we declare to the world that
we stand ready to host the largest gathering of humanity-WSSD.
In hosting this Summit, South Africa will continue
to draw inspiration from the experience it has gained
over the years in hosting such major international events
such as the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR),
the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
and the Non-Aligned Movement meetings.
South Africa has both the political will, the necessary
expertise and infrastructure to host the Summit. Today
in Bali, our government is represented by five cabinet
Ministers and a Deputy Minister which is indicative
of the commitment SA has towards to PrepCom IV and the
entire WSSD process.
Logistical preparations for the Johannesburg Summit
are well advanced and remain on course. We stand ready
to welcome and host all to the Summit.
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa at +27-82-990-4853
Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs, C/o SA Embassy,
Bali
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001,
05 June 2002
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