Joint Communiqué on the Working Visit to the Republic of Senegal by the Minister of foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, 3 - 5 November 2004

1. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, paid a Working Visit to the Republic of Senegal from 3 - 5 November 2004.

2. During her visit, Minister Dlamini Zuma had bilateral discussions with her Senegalese counterpart, the Minister of State, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, on issues related to the strengthening of the friendly relations and co-operation that already exist between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Senegal as well as international, continental and regional issues of mutual concern.

3. On bilateral issues, the two Ministers assessed the status of bilateral relations between South Africa and Senegal ten years after the establishment of full diplomatic relations and noted the progress made in particularly the field of trade and investment. In this regard, they inter alia noted the steady growth in bilateral trade registered during that period. They agreed that substantial potential for increased exchanges in this and other areas of co-operation exist and that this potential should be explored. To this end, the two Ministers signed an Agreement on the Establishment of a Joint Commission for Bilateral Co-operation (JCBC) that will serve as a framework for enhanced co-operation between the two countries in the political, economic, commercial, cultural, scientific and technological fields. The first session of the JCBC will focus on co-operation in the following areas: trade and investment, transport, public enterprises, immigration issues, education, culture, sport and gender issues.

4. On international multilateral political and security issues, the two Ministers reaffirmed their respective countries' commitment to and support for the United Nations system as the only viable framework within which to effectively deal with such issues. They also expressed their respective governments' support for the proposed reform of the United Nations Security Council aimed at ensuring a more equitable geographical representation in that body.

5. On continental multilateral issues, the two ministers reaffirmed their respective countries' continued commitment to the operationalisation of the African Union (AU) and its various organs, notably the AU Peace and Security Council, and welcomed the recent inauguration in South Africa of the Pan-African Parliament. They also expressed their satisfaction at the progress made towards the envisaged implementation of a common African defence policy. The Ministers took note of the prominent roles played by their respective Heads of State in the promotion and implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in their capacity as members of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee and reconfirmed their countries' determination to continue to work closely together in order to contribute to the realisation of lasting economic development on the African continent as envisioned by the programme.

6. On regional security issues, the two ministers reviewed developments in African countries currently in conflict and post-conflict situations and briefed each other on their countries' peace-building and reconstruction efforts in their respective sub-regions. They reiterated their countries' confidence in and support for the African Union's conflict prevention, resolution and management efforts on the continent as well as their continued support for the efforts being undertaken by the continent's various regional economic communities towards resolving political and security crises in their sub-regions. In this regard, the two Ministers in particular welcomed the continued peace-building and reconstruction efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, while Minister Dlamini Zuma briefed her Senegalese counterpart on the South African Government's efforts in this regard in the Great Lakes region.

7. The South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, accompanied by her Senagalese counterpart, was also received in audience by the President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Mr Abdoulaye Wade. During this audience, Minister Dlamini Zuma was introduced to some of President Abdoulaye Wade's major projects for infrastructure, education and economic and social development in Senegal and on the African continent, in the spirit of NEPAD, the African Union and the African Renaissance, for which both Presidents Mbeki and Wade continue to play a pivotal role enhanced by the common vision of and commitment to a brighter future for Africa and its peoples.

8. Minister Dlamini Zuma visited the campus of the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, where she was hosted on a guided tour by the Rector of the University and the Dean of the Faculty of Medecine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology and had fruitful discussions with students and lecturers, especially representatives from the project Initiative on Women's Leadership for Development and Democracy.

9. At the conclusion of her visit, Minister Dlamini Zuma expressed to Minister Gadio her sincere appreciation for the warm welcome extended to her and her delegation. Minister Gadio accepted an invitation to undertake a Working Visit to South Africa during 2005 extended to him by his South African counterpart. During this visit, the two Ministers will review the status of bilateral co-operation between the two countries, discuss regional and global issues as well as matters related to the envisaged State Visit of President Mbeki to Senegal and of President Wade to South Africa.

Done in Dakar on 5 November 2004