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Seventh Meeting of the EU-South Africa Cooperation Council,
Brussels, 14 November 2006 The seventh meeting of the EU-South Africa Co-operation
Council took place in Brussels on 14 November 2006. The Council adopted
a Joint Statement to advance towards an EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership.
With the statement the parties embark on a process to enhance their existing cooperation
towards shared objectives and strategic political cooperation on regional, African
and global issues, including conflict prevention and resolution in Africa. The
Strategic Partnership will also develop stronger and sustainable economic cooperation
and extend cooperation to social, cultural and environmental fields. The
meeting also discussed the political situation in Africa and the Middle East as
well as topical issues on the global agenda such as the UN reform, migration,
WTO and HIV/AIDS. The Council adopted a communiqué on the issues discussed. With
a recently approved negotiating mandate for the EU side, South Africa and the
EU will also start the negotiations for a comprehensive update and revision of
the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA), the cornerstone of their
relations since 2000. With respect to the review of the TDCA trade provisions,
the Parties agreed to address its relationship to the SADC-EPA negotiations. EU
and South Africa also reached an agreement on further liberalisation of trade
in the automotive sector. This agreement, welcomed by the European car manufacturers,
is the outcome of lengthy negotiations on an industry that is important for both
sides. The meeting took place under the co-chairmanship of Mr Erkki Tuomioja
and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Foreign Ministers of Finland, representing the
Presidency of the EU, and South Africa. The EU delegation also included the troika-members
Commissioners Louis Michel and Peter Mandelson, Mr Javier Solana, SG/High Representative,
and Mrs Dorothee Janetzke-Wentzel, Director for Africa from Germany. The South
African delegation included Ms Lulama Xingwana, Minister of Agriculture and Land
Affairs and Mr Derek Hanekom, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology. The
EU and South Africa welcomed this invaluable opportunity to work towards enhanced
cooperation and look forward to continued dialogue in the future. Issued
by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853 Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag
X152
Pretoria
0001 14 November 2006. | 
