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Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe concludes Discussions with
her Iranian Counterpart Alireza Sheikhattar Pretoria - South African Deputy
Foreign Minister Sue van der Merwe on Thursday, 18 May 2006 concluded discussions
with her Iranian counterpart Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Co-operation
Alireza Sheikhattar. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Cooperation
of Iran, Alireza Sheikhattar is visiting South Africa from 17-20 May 2006 in his
capacity as Chair of the Council of Ministers (COM) of the Indian Ocean Association
for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) to attend the first meeting of the Working
Group of the Heads of Mission (WGHM) of the IOR-ARC member states in Pretoria/Tshwane.
Deputy Minister Sheikhattar is accompanied by Mr HR Ershadi, Director for
Multilateral Economic Cooperation at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Also in attendance at the inaugural IOR-ARC Working Group meeting, was the Executive
Director of the IOR-ARC Coordinating Secretariat based in Mauritius, Mr Tuan Zarook
Samsudeen. Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe delivered a welcoming address at
the opening ceremony of the meeting. Prior to the commencement of the IOR-ARC
meeting, Deputy Minister Van der Merwe and her Iranian counterpart Mr Sheikhattar
held bilateral discussions within the field of economic cooperation. Deputy Minister
Sheikhattar also briefed Deputy Minister Van der Merwe on the status of the current
nuclear issue regarding Iran and the South African Deputy Minister reiterated
South Africa's position in this regard. During Deputy Minister Van der Merwe's
opening address to welcome the IOR-ARC delegates, she highlighted the importance
of the Association as an instrument to promote shared economic benefit between
all member states of the Association. She stated that the IOR-ARC should be used
to unlock the vast potential of the region with its population of close to two
billion people, in particular enhancing trade and investment flows, trade liberalisation,
as well as the sustainable exploitation of the tourism potential of the Association's
members. Deputy Minister Van der Merwe also pointed out that the activities of
IOR-ARC should not be seen in isolation but as complimentary to other inter-regional
initiatives such as the New Asian African Strategic Partnership (NAASP). The
IOR-ARC member states include Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Singapore, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The deliberations
of the Working Group of the Heads of Mission (WGHM) focused, amongst others, on
the following issues: - Improved facilitation of business travelling
within the region
- Increasing trade between member states through trade
fairs/ seminars
- Enhanced foreign direct investments facilitated through
the IOR-ARC website
- The fast-tracking of a Preferential Trade Agreement
amongst six IOR-ARC member states
- Tsunami early warning systems within
the region
- Sharing of information on avian flu
- An integrated coastal
management programme
- Increased student and academic exchange within the
region
- The promotion of inter-regional tourism
- Cross border financial
services
- A fisheries protocol amongst members
- A review of the
IOR-ARC Special Fund
- The 10th anniversary of the IOR-ARC and hosting of
a Business Summit in 2007
At the Council of Ministers meeting of
the IOR-ARC held in Tehran, Iran in February 2006, it was decided that a Working
Group consisting of Heads of Diplomatic Missions of member states based in Pretoria/Tshwane,
be created in order to review the periodic work programme presented by the Chair
of the Council, and to fast track the agenda of the IOR-ARC. The main focus of
this Working Group would be to determine project proposals that are feasible for
implementation and the develop mechanisms to monitor the progress of identified
projects. South Africa's capital city, Pretoria/ Tshwane is the only member state
capital of the Group that houses all IO-ARC member state representatives and was
therefore considered as an appropriate venue for the Working Group to be based
at. The IOR-ARC is a multilateral organisation comprised of countries that
share a shoreline along the Indian Ocean and was launched in March 1997 in Mauritius
with a view to focus mainly on trade-related issues. The shared identity of a
common historical experience of colonialism and imperialism also contributed to
bringing together the leaders of states in the Indian Ocean region, basing regional
cooperation on the past littoral economic, social and cultural communities as
well as bridging a link between Africa, Asia and Australasia. South Africa
was one of the founding members of the IOR-ARC. The organisation is based on the
principle of open regionalism, which is a flexible arrangement that compares very
favourably with other regional arrangements such as preferential trade agreements,
free trade areas, customs unions, common markets, etc. With several IOR-ARC member
states sharing participation in other regional initiatives, the IOR-ARC plays
an important role as building block for the promotion of south-south cooperation
and for complimenting African-Asian regional integration. The next meeting
will be held again in South Africa at the beginning of September 2006. Issued
by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 853 Department of Foreign Affairs
Private
Bag X152
Pretoria
0001 19 May 2006 | 
