The Tshwane Declaration on Reaffirming the Strategic Partnership between South Africa and India, 02 October 2006

1. In commemorating the centenary of the launch of Satyagraha, and in the spirit of the strategic partnership that was established during the historic visit of South Africa's first democratically elected President, Nelson R Mandela to India in March 1997 and carried further by the visit to India by President TM Mbeki in October 2003 and the visit to South Africa by President APJ Abdul Kalam in September 2004, South Africa and India reaffirm their commitment to a global order of peace, equality and justice.

2. President Thabo Mbeki and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid tribute to the global role played by Mahatma Gandhi through the implementation of the principles of truth, non-violence and self-sacrifice, as enshrined in the philosophy of Satyagraha. Gandhi's influence was felt throughout the world and inspired numerous leaders and renowned personalities like Martin Luther King, Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. It was the unflinching spirit of Mahatma Gandhi that contributed decisively towards the demise of the British Raj; similarly it inspired the struggle against apartheid, particularly during the Defiance Campaign. Above all, it was the strong message of non-violence contained in Gandhi's Satyagraha that helped to bring about a peaceful transformation in South Africa and the realisation of truth and reconciliation between the destructive human divisions that had been spawned by apartheid.

3. In sharing the fundamental values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi, President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh stress their continued and unfaltering belief in the peaceful resolution of disputes and the recognition of the rights of nations to self-determination and freedom.

4. President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh express their belief that South Africa and India draw their strength and inspiration from the diverse, multi-cultural societies constituting their respective nations; and that the best assurance for continued peace and prosperity lies in the adherence to democratic governance that is rooted in the respect for human dignity and the fundamental rights of all people, as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

5. The two national leaders furthermore reaffirmed their belief in the growing partnership with the signing of the following bilateral agreements/MOUs:

• Co-operation in the Field of Education
• MOU between Spoornet and Railways

They furthermore noted that the following agreements will be signed imminently, once the regulatory procedures have been completed:

• Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports
• Programme of Co-operation in Science and Technology.

6. Conscious of the need to make the partnership more result-oriented and of greater direct benefit to the peoples of South Africa and India, President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh have today decided to intensify co-operation and committed themselves to raise the existing level of friendship and partnership between South Africa and India to even higher levels.

7. Both leaders noted that the political interaction between India and South Africa, marked by an exceptional degree of understanding, mutual trust and confidence, had gathered further momentum and substance. The number of Ministerial visits exchanged had increased significantly since the milestone visit of President Mbeki to India in 2003. They expressed their satisfaction at the continued and steady consolidation of bilateral relations. Besides the deep political bond that was first forged more than a century ago, the partnership now extends to the economic, human resources development, public administration and governance, urban and rural settlement, health, defence, cultural and science and technology fields.

8.1 Recalling that the Red Fort Declaration had recognised that the economies of South Africa and India have certain comparative advantages, complementarities and resources which can be exploited to mutual benefit through trade, investment and transfer of technology, they noted with satisfaction the progress that had taken place in these areas, resulting in more than doubling of the total bilateral trade since 2003 and a significant increase in investments in both directions. They acknowledged, however, that the full potential in this regard was yet to be tapped and reaffirmed their determination to explore these opportunities to their optimal extent, particularly in the following priority sectors: energy, tourism, health, automobiles and auto components, chemicals, dyes, textiles, fertilisers, information technology, small and medium enterprises and infrastructure.

8.2 They urged the private sectors of both countries to gain better awareness of each other's strengths and to set themselves ambitious targets. It should be possible at least to treble the volume of bilateral trade by 2010. In this context, they welcomed the scheduled third meeting of the India-South Africa CEOs' Forum in Johannesburg on 2 October 2006, which would contribute towards this goal.

9.1 Recognising the major priority attached to the health sector in both countries, they agreed that the Agreement on Co-operation in Health and Medicine should be implemented expeditiously.

9.2 Further, South African and Indian companies providing health services, including diagnostics and medical care, would be encouraged to work jointly to provide affordable health care to nationals of both countries as well as in third countries.

10. Recalling the important Agreements, which were signed in October 2003 to promote co-operation in the fields of hydrocarbons, electricity and power, they agreed that these should be implemented at the earliest.

11. They noted the progress made in bilateral defence co-operation as reflected in the report of the India-South Africa Defence Committee, which met in June 2006 in Pretoria. They agreed that South Africa and India should work towards closer co-operation in the defence sector, including the possibility of joint research and development. Furthermore, the South African Government expressed appreciation for the training provided by India on UN Peacekeeping and operations of modern submarines.

12.1 Lauding the efforts of the South African Government for promoting broad-based economic and social development through the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA) and the Joint Priority Skills Acquisition Initiative (JIPSA), Prime Minister Singh reaffirmed that the Indian Government was ready to be a partner in these initiatives and to provide assistance in building up scarce and critical skills identified by the South African Government.

12.2 President Mbeki welcomed the growing co-operation within the framework of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme and Prime Minister Singh's indication that India would increase the number of ITEC slots allocated to South Africa from 55 to 100, with 50 of these slots earmarked specifically for the JIPSA Initiative.

12.3 Noting with satisfaction that the visit of the Deputy President of South Africa to India from 9 to 13 September 2006 had helped identify further avenues through which India could contribute to ASGISA and JIPSA, the two leaders decided that a Programme of Co-operation addressing growth and skills would be drawn up by designated co-ordinators from both sides.

12.4 To identify means of co-operation in capacity building and skills enhancement in the key ICT sector, they requested the Working Group set up under the MOU on Information & Communication Technologies to convene as a matter of priority.

13. They expressed satisfaction at the increasing cultural exchanges between the two countries and decided that the Cultural Exchange Programme, which expires in 2006, would be renewed; and that academic exchanges between the two countries, particularly through University-to-University linkages, would be promoted.

14. President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh expressed their satisfaction on the opening of the South Africa Tourism office in Mumbai in 2005 and reaffirmed their belief that increased tourism would not only bring commercial benefits to both countries, but also enhance the warm people-to-people relations between South Africa and India. In this context, they welcomed the imminent opening of an office of the International Marketing Council (IMC) of South Africa in Mumbai.

15. In the critically important field of Science and Technology, President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh agreed that a more extensive and active network between relevant institutions of the two countries would be promoted by the concerned Departments.

They noted that President Abdul Kalam had delivered the second Philip Tobias Lecture at the invitation of President Mbeki and had called for greater co-operation between scientists of South Africa and India in meeting the challenges of development, including in partnership in the Pan African e-Network and the World Knowledge Platform.

16. In addressing wider areas beyond the bilateral realm, the two leaders agreed that every effort would be made to conclude the India-Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Preferential Trade Agreement as soon as possible since it would provide a significant incentive to the business communities of the two countries to explore mutually beneficial commercial opportunities and contribute to the growth in bilateral trade.

17. President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh welcomed the launching of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-India Forum in the Republic of Namibia on 28 April 2006 to promote technical co-operation between SADC and the Government of India in all fields of economic activity with the empowerment of the people in the SADC region and in India as a key priority.

18. The two leaders agreed that the consolidation of the African Union (AU) held the key to the development of the continent. South Africa welcomed India's willingness to support the objectives of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the AU's primary programme aimed at consolidating the African agenda.

19. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the first IBSA Summit held in Brasilia on September 12, 2006. They welcomed the emergence of IBSA as an effective instrument for promoting ever-closer co-ordination on global issues between these three influential and diverse democracies of Africa, Asia and South America. Both sides also agreed to intensify consultations and co-operation at multilateral forums such as NAM, Commonwealth, G-77, G-20 and the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) with a view to jointly addressing global challenges.

20. The two leaders shared the view that international economic relations continue to be characterised by inequities and inequalities with large sections of the world yet to reap the benefits of globalisation, which has led to economic crises and instability in several developing countries. The two leaders agreed that to be sustainable and successful, the globalisation process must address, not perpetuate or aggravate the existing inequalities. They, therefore, deeply regretted that the Doha Development Agenda negotiations had been suspended which had pitted the interests of corporate agriculture and large industrial enterprises of the developed countries against those of small and the vulnerable producers that predominate in developing countries. This constituted a grave setback to the development promises of the Round and a serious disappointment for developing countries. Failure to conclude the negotiations in accordance with the mandate will deprive developing countries of fair and equitable conditions for fully realising their comparative advantages across agriculture, industry, and services. Both leaders emphasised that substantial and effective reductions in all forms of trade-distorting domestic support provided by the major subsidisers is an unfinished agenda and must be secured to meet the agreed aim of establishment of a fair and market-oriented trading system in the global agricultural sector.

21.1 Convinced of the vital importance of the role of the United Nations in promoting world peace, stability and development, the two leaders welcomed the creation of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council, as well as the progress made in the areas of UN Secretariat and management reform. The leaders noted the importance of increased focus on development and the alleviation of poverty.

21.2 They reaffirmed the need for a decision regarding the expansion of the Security Council, without which no reform of the United Nations would be complete. They reiterated their conviction that the Security Council must be expanded to include developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America in both its permanent and non-permanent categories, so as to reflect contemporary realities and make it more democratic and representative, and resolved to continue to pursue a decision in this regard.

22. The two leaders expressed their deep concern over international terrorism, extremism, trans-border organised crime and illicit trafficking in humans and in arms and drugs. They viewed terrorism as a serious threat to sovereign states, international peace, security and development. They agreed that counter-terrorism efforts by the international community under the auspices of the United Nations should be global, comprehensive and in conformity with international law, human rights and humanitarian law. The ultimate objective is the total eradication of this scourge, so that barbaric attacks, such as the ones carried out on 11 July 2006 in Mumbai and other parts of the world, do not recur. To this end, South Africa and India would continue to work towards the early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN General Assembly.

23. President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh reiterated the unwavering commitment of South Africa and India to the goal of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons in a comprehensive, universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable manner and expressed concern over the lack of progress in the realisation of that goal. They emphasised the necessity to start negotiations on a phased programme for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons with a specified framework of time to eliminate nuclear weapons, to prohibit their development, production, acquisition, testing, stockpiling, transfer, use or threat of use, and to provide for their destruction.

24. They agreed that nuclear energy could play an important role in ensuring safe, sustainable and non-polluting sources of energy to meet the rising global demands of energy, particularly in developing countries. They reaffirmed the inalienable right of all States to the peaceful application of nuclear energy, consistent with their international legal obligations. They agreed to explore approaches to co-operation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy under appropriate IAEA safeguards. They further agreed that international civilian nuclear co-operation, under appropriate IAEA safeguards, amongst countries committed to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation objectives could be enhanced through acceptable forward-looking approaches, consistent with their respective national and international obligations.

25. In conclusion, President Mbeki and Prime Minister Singh reiterated their deep conviction that peace and development are indivisible and that good governance was the best-known way to ensure both. They emphasised that under-development could not be addressed in isolation, but that its eradication was a factor of numerous social and environmental influences, including education, health care, basic infrastructure and amenities, capacity building and skills enhancement, political participation at all levels, advancement of indigenous culture and social organisation and access to natural resources, clean water and air for all. They emphasised further that the right to freedom had an important economic dimension, as it embraced not only political freedom but also the freedom to lead a life with dignity, unfettered by domination and discrimination. They noted that the strategic partnership between South Africa and India was guided by the common vision of a global order marked by peace, security and equity. To tackle these multiple challenges, they reaffirmed their commitment to enhance their co-operation bilaterally as well as multilaterally, to build a better, safer and more prosperous world for present and succeeding generations.

(signed)..................................................................................(signed)
President................................................................................President
The Republic of South Africa.................................................The Republic of India