Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to Depart South Africa for the Middle East and Cuba

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad will lead a South African delegation on a regional tour of the Middle East from Saturday, 24th May 2003 to Sunday, 1st June 2003.

The Deputy Minister will visit Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait City.
Issues on the agenda will include the consequences of a post-Saddam Iraq for the region, the "Road-Map" for peace in the Middle East and South Africa's bilateral relations with the above-mentioned countries (see background).

The South African Government has pledged its full support to the speedy implementation of the Road Map. However, without commitment from both the Israelis and Palestinians to comply with the obligations as outlined in the Road Map, peace in the region will remain elusive. Indeed the conditions for terrorism and suicide bombs will only be exacerbated.

The Deputy Minister will share this message with the leadership of the region in order to ascertain their understanding of the unfolding process. He will also discuss the recent outbreaks of suicide bombings and the dire consequences for peace and security of the region and well as the stability of South Africa's bilateral relations with the relevant countries.

Following this, the Deputy Minister will lead the South African delegation to the second meeting of the Consultative Mechanism between the Foreign Ministries of South Africa and Cuba on 3 and 4 June 2003 in Havana. Deputy Minister Pahad will co-chair the meeting together with Cuba's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Fernando Remírez de Estenoz Barciela.

A Declaration of Intent, signed during March 2000 between both countries established a high-level Consultative Mechanism through which bilateral, multilateral, and regional issues of a political nature could be addressed. The establishment of such a mechanism, testifies to the excellent political relations that exist between South Africa and Cuba and to further increasing cooperation, particularly in the bilateral and multilateral spheres.

During the second Consultative Mechanism to be held in Havana, Cuba, the Parties intend to review and exchange views on their political bilateral relations, African and Latin American subjects in general, as well as the African Union, and NEPAD. The revitalisation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) will also feature high on the agenda, as South Africa and Cuba are, together with the current chair Malaysia, members of the NAM Troika.

Both countries firmly support the strengthening of NAM as a vehicle that developing member countries could use to establish critical consensus around fundamental issues such as poverty alleviation, debt reduction and sustainable development Cuba also shares South Africa's sense of urgency at the need to reform the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions. Current international issues will also be addressed.

As a long-time friend and supporter of anti-colonial liberation struggles in Africa, Cuba maintains an intense interest in the African Union (AU) and African initiatives such as the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). These, and issues such as South Africa's role in peacemaking and peacekeeping on the African continent will be discussed separately in Deputy Minister Pahad's address to officials of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the fringes of the Consultative Mechanism, at the invitation of Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque.

For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.
Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
22 May 2003

BACKGROUND

LEBANON

Diplomatic Relations
South Africa has a historic relationship with Lebanon due to a sizeable community of South Relations Africans of Lebanese origin (30 000), the first components of which date back more than a century. South Africa maintained a Consulate General in Lebanon until 1974 and from then onwards an Interest Section under the auspices of the Swiss Embassy, owing to diplomatic sanctions being applied by Lebanon. The South African Interest Section was never officially "closed"; its functioning was only "suspended". The Lebanese Interest Section of the Swiss Embassy in South Africa continued to function uninterruptedly until full diplomatic relations were established in 1995. Since March 1996 South African Ambassadors in Cairo have been accredited to Lebanon on a non-residential basis.

Economic Relations
Lebanon has long been renowned as a triangular hub for trade between the Middle East, Central Asia and the Mediterranean. While trade between South Africa and Lebanon is modest in global terms, there is recognition of Lebanon's potential in its service industries and its regional trade links. These present opportunities for the opening of markets and greater gateways for South African good and services. Lebanon is committed to co-operate fully with South Africa in facilitating two way trade.

The performance of South African exports to Lebanon has grown dramatically with 148% increase over the last two years. In 2000, exports were R29 million, imports were R495,000. In 2002, exports amounted to R72 million, and imports to R488,000.

The table of imports and exports, in Rand, is as follows:

YEAR EXPORTS IMPORTS
1. 29,124,222 495,963
2. 46,716,407 619,420
3. 72,240,078 488,866

SYRIA

Diplomatic Relations
Full diplomatic relations between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of South Africa were established on 1 June 1994. Syria has maintained an Embassy in South Africa since June 1998 while the South African Ambassador in Cairo is accredited to Syria on a non-residential basis.

Economic Relations
The most recent trade figures are very encouraging, with a nearly 75% increase in exports over the past two years. South Africa's exports to Syria for 2002 were R60.5 million and imports R6.5 million. In 2000 South Africa's exports amounted to R34 million and imports to R3.9 million.

Exports to Syria include agricultural products and petrochemical equipment. Business opportunities have been identified in light industry, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, such as MRI scanners and ICU equipment. Other sectors include oil and gas infrastructure and beneficiation (e.g. liquefaction of gas), electricity generation, telecommunications, computers, irrigation equipment and cotton processing. The major goods imported from Syria are textiles, pharmaceuticals and chemicals for medical laboratories; technical equipment; agricultural products (insecticides, fungicides, seeds, coffee etc.); tractor accessories and parts; poultry feeding equipment; and chrome tanning salts.

Syrian exports on the world market include crude oil, medicines, processed cotton, textiles, carpets and agricultural produce, especially olive oil (no. 5 on the world scale for production) spices and pulses.

Several economic and trade agreements are being negotiated with Syria in order to create a legal framework for expanding economic and commercial exchanges.
The table of imports and exports, in Rand, is as follows:
YEAR EXPORTS IMPORTS
1. 34,713,489 3,982,828
2. 38,460,645 5,188,874
3. 60,423,477 6,441,869

EGYPT

Egypt is a member of the NEPAD Steering Committee, an influential participant in international fora and a key player on the Continent, and in the Middle East. Furthermore, Egypt is South Africa's third largest trading partner in North Africa, following on Algeria and Morocco. It holds the portfolio for agriculture, under the theme market and diversification in the NEPAD Secretariat.
On a bilateral level, it is envisaged that this visit will give renewed impetus to bilateral relations and will focus on preparations for the 6th session of the South Africa-Egypt Joint Bilateral Commission (JBC) to be hosted by Minister Dlamini Zuma in South Africa shortly. The forthcoming session will follow directly after the African Union Summit meeting in Maputo.

SAUDI ARABIA

Diplomatic Relations
Diplomatic relations between South Africa and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were formalised during a visit by former President Nelson Mandela to that country in November 1994. Two missions were established in the Kingdom during March of 1995 - an Embassy with a Chargé d'Affaires in the capital Riyadh and a Consulate General with a Consul in Charge in the commercial capital of Jeddah. The Consulate General is also responsible for looking after the needs of South African pilgrims performing Hajj and Umrah duties in the holy cities of Maccah al Mukarramah and Medina al Munawarra.

The first South African Ambassador to the Kingdom, Dr Samuel Motsuenyane, arrived in November 1996 and completed his tour of duty in August 2000. After two years without the Head of Mission, Dr Motsuenyane' s successor, Ambassador AH Gabier took up his post as Head of Mission in Riyadh in October 2002. Mr M Dangor was appointed as South Africa's first Consul-General in Jeddah since March 2002.

The Royal Saudi Arabian Embassy in Pretoria was established in 1997 and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahad bin Abdulaziz, is represented by Ambassador Dr Saud al-Zedan who is entering his sixth year of service in Pretoria.

Trade Relations
South African exports to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia amounted too (R'000) R1, 024,162, R1, 045,737 and R1, 176,603 in 2001, 2002 respectively. Products included citrus fruits, aluminum wire, chocolate, acrylic hydro carbons, can or beet sugar, flat or rolled iron, paper and motor vehicles.
South African imports from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia amounted to (R'000) R14, 054,938, R14, 977,431 and R10, 017,320 in 2000 - 2001 respectively. Products included petroleum oil, acrylic hydrocarbon, chemical fertilizers, polymers, sodium hydroxide, acrylic alcohol, sulfur and ammonia.
During consultations with principals in January 2003, it was decided that sectors to be explored would include pollen, telecommunications equipment, electrical power systems, water desalination equipment, auto part and service equipment and services and railway infrastructure.

Concluded Agreements
1. Agreement on Economic, Trade, Investment and Technical Co-operation which was signed on 20 May 1999 by the foreign ministers of South Africa and Saudi Arabia during the visit of Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz;
2. A Bilateral Air Services Agreement. Minister Abdullah Omar signed this Agreement during a visit to Saudi Arabia in April 2000. South Africa has notified the Saudi Arabian Government that the constitutional requirements for the entry into force of this agreement have been fulfilled;
3. A Memorandum of Understanding between the CSIR and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh which was signed in July 1999;
4. An Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments. The Agreement was negotiated and initialled when a delegation from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) visited the Kingdom in November 2000. A subsequent DTI visit in September 2001 and ongoing exchange of drafts has brought the Agreement near to finalisation.
Trade figures
Year Imports Exports
2001: R14,897,669,817 R1,061,532,998
2002: R9,927,427,865 R1,146,718,579

KUWAIT
South Africa's trade with Kuwait remains limited. South Africa's major exports to Kuwait are organic chemicals, iron and steel products and paper whereas imports from Kuwait consist almost exclusively of crude oil and petroleum products.