Joint Communiqué of the Seventh Meeting of the South
Africa - United Kingdom Bilateral Forum, 23 - 24 May 2006
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
South
Africa
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Foreign Minister Mosiua Lekota, Minister
of Defence Pallo Jordan, Minister of Arts and Culture Mandisi Mphahlwa,
Minister of Trade and Industry Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, Minister for Environment
and Tourism Enver Surty, Deputy Minister of Education Gert Oosthuizen,
Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation
United Kingdom
Margaret
Beckett, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (host) Tessa
Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, media and Sport Hilary Benn, Secretary
of State for International Development Alistair Darling, Secretary of State
for Trade and Industry Des Brown, Secretary of State for Defence David Miliband,
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Baroness Valerie
Amos, Leader of the House of Lords Stephen Timms, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Lord
David Triesman, Minister for Africa Adam Ingram, Minister for the Armed Forces Richard
Cabom, Minister for Sport Bill Rammell, Minister for Higher Education David
Lammy, Minister for Culture Sir David King, Government Chief Scientist
JOINT
COMMUNIQUE OF THE SEVENTH MEETING OF THE SOUTH AFRICA-UNITED KINGDOM BILATERAL
FORUM 23-24 May 2006
The 7th meeting of the South Africa - United
Kingdom Bilateral Forum was held at Lancaster House London from 23 to 24 May 2006.
This year's theme was 'the UK and South Africa, building together on the 2005
Year of Africa'.
Ministers celebrated the continued strength
of the bilateral relationship, based on shared progressive values and a practice
of working together, and stressed their intention to continue the partnership
between the UK and South Africa on regional and international issues. They recalled
that the successes of the Commission for Africa and the G8 commitments that followed
were underpinned by close co-operation between the UK and South Africa's leaders.
Minister reaffirmed their commitment to working together with the African Union
(AU), NEPAD and others to ensure delivery on the promises made in 2005. Ministers
reconfirmed their support for ensuring that the Africa partnership Forum is an
effective international mechanism for monitoring, reporting and reviewing progress
against commitments by Africa and its international partners.
The South African side briefed their UK counterparts on the Accelerated and Shared
Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGI-SA) that was launched by President Mbeki
in February to speed up growth and halve poverty and unemployment by 2015. Through
ASGI-SA, efforts are being intensified to ensure that South Africa's political
freedom also translates into a growing economy that improves the standard of living
and the quality of life of all South Africans, especially of the poor. It was
agreed that a special focus of the work of the Forum and future SA-UK co-operation
should be support for ASGI-SA. South Africa also reported on the undertakings
made by the Joint Initiatives for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA), which is
tasked to identify urgent skills neds and quick and effective solutions.
Ministers welcomed progress that had been made to implement G8 commitments, including
the debt cancellation for 13 African countries by the International Monetary Fund
and the expected forthcoming cancellation of debts of these countries by the World
Bank International Development Association (IDA) and the African Development Fund.
They welcomed the establishment of an Infrastructure Consortium for Africa, which
will broker funding for five African priority projects by June this year. Ministers
also looked forward to the launch of the Investment Climate Facility in June and
the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund later in the year, both designed to boost
private sector growth in Africa.
The UK welcomed South Africa's
announcement to contribute US$ 20m to the International Finance Facility for Immunisation
(IFFIm), which will support efforts to tackle preventable diseases in the poorest
countries in the world, and is estimated to save 10 million lives, including 5
million children before 2015. The UK is providing 35% of the resources required
to fund a $4 billion IFFIm. South Africa and the UK, while welcoming the contributions
to the Global Fund to combat AIDS, TB and malaria, called for additional contributions
to support new projects.
The UK welcomed work within the AU and
NEPAD to promote good governance, noting that Ghana and Rwanda have completed
performance reviews under the African Peer Review Mechanism and that South Africa's
review is underway.
In building a strategic partnership to take
forward the G8 Gleneagles summit, Ministers recognised that the nature of the
development relationship with South Africa would change. While focussing on ways
to reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals in South Africa,
it will increasingly acknowledge the economic and political role of South Africa
beyond its borders.
On the bilateral front the UK is working
with South African ministries to determine future priorities for the programme,
and in particular how it can best support ASGI-SA. The UK supports ASGI-SA in
its development assistance programme, including through the Employment Promotion
Programme; the Consolidated municipal Transformation Programme; and work with
the Department of Public Enterprises to restructure Eskom and Transnet.
The
European Commission is developing in partnership with South Africa a Country Strategy,
to which the UK will link its programme for the first time, in line with the OECD
Development Assistance Committee (DAC ) Paris declaration on 'aid effectiveness'.
Ministers welcomed the launch of DFID's regional plan for Southern Africa, which
commits 20 million pounds each year for cross-border initiatives to tackle poverty.
They committed themselves to work together to implement the plan. Minister announced
two new partnership programmes coming under this plan:
One-stop
border posts: the UK will work with the Southern Africa Revenue Service and COMESA
to open three one-stop border posts, between the borders of South Africa and Lesotho,
South Africa and Mozambique, and Zambia and Zimbabwe in the next three years.
The se will be the first one-stop border posts in Southern Africa and will boost
growth by reducing waiting time, allowing both small traders and larger businesses
to transport and sell their goods more quickly.
Regional Standards:
the UK will work with South African supermarkets to help vegetable farmers in
the Southern African region to produce goods that meet the supermarkets' quality
standards, allowing them to source more goods form across the region. Raising
standards will also allow UK supermarkets to source more produce from farmers
in Southern Africa.
The UK reaffirmed its support for the African
Union's own efforts to maintain peace and security in Africa. This includes support
for the AU's mission in Sudan (and the UN's operation in Southern Sudan), an early
warning mechanism and an enhanced mediation capacity. Ministers Lekota and Brown
agreed that the Defence relationship between South Africa and the United Kingdom
remained important for the strategic interests of both countries. They recalled
continued co-operation in the defence equipment field, supported by an RAF exchange
of a Qualified Flying instructor and sea training by the Flag Officer Sea Training
team over a three year period.
Ministers welcomed the signing
of an agreement to extend the British Peace Support Team in South Africa for a
further three years. Through the team, now well-established, Britain and South
Africa are working together to improve capability available within Southern Africa
to conduct the Peace Support Operations, complementing the AU's African Standby
Force strategy. Ministers welcomed the recent establishment of the South African
National Peace Mission Training Centre in Pretoria and the UK contribution of
2.3 million rand to this process. Through the training centre South Africa will
build its capacity and develop its strategy for Peace Support Operations. The
need for ongoing commitment by the international community to post-conflict reconstruction
in countries such as the Democratic of Congo and Sudan was highlighted.
Senior trade officials agreed to work together to ensure an ambitious pro-development
outcome to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round. South African officials
offered to host an informal workshop between Southern Africa Development Community
(SADC) Member States and the EU on reviewing the EU/South Africa Trade and Development
Co-operation Agreement and how that might best be aligned with the negotiations
on an Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and SADC. This workshop would
be held within three months. They welcomed the bilateral discussions on Trade
and Development of Prime Minister Blair and President Mbeki and Secretary of State
Darling and Trade Minister Mpahlwa.
Senior trade officials welcomed
the confidence shown by British companies, and investors more widely, in the South
African economy. They were pleased to note the increasing levels of bilateral
trade as well and the significant investments by Vodafone and Barclays Bank in
South Africa last year, reflecting positive investor sentiment in the country
and an expectation of market growth in the Sub-Sahara Africa region. They welcomed
the concordance of the South African Government's ASGI-SA and UK Trade & Investment's
(UKTI) focus on supporting commercial engagement in a range of skills and capacity
development initiatives, agricultural technology and infrastructure (especially
transport). They encouraged further bilateral partnerships in science and technology
that co8uld lead to trade and investment in both countries. The two sides agreed
to develop a framework for joint engagement and guidance on Black Economic Empowerment
(BEE) for the benefit of potential investors. In the wider context of sustainable
economic development in Africa, the Ministers asked for more to be done to focus
the attention of the private sector on poverty and reduction and other Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs ) through more and better trade officials, with a proposal
to include private sector input, to monitor progress and recommend action to increase
co-operation in trade and investment.
Foreign Minister Dlamini
Zuma briefed Foreign Secretary Beckett on her work done in the International Working
Group on Cote d'Ivoire. Ministers expressed their support for the work of Prime
Minister Banny, and reiterated their belief that although much still had to be
done, elections in October remained the target.
Discussing the
Great Lakes, the Ministers agreed that continuing peace and stability in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) was critical for wider peace and sustainable development
in the region and continent as a whole. They urged all Congolese parties to remain
fully committed to and engaged in the peace process. They hoped that parties to
remain fully committed to and engaged in the peace process. They hoped that parties
would participate fully in the elections of 30 July 2006 and refrain from statements
or actions, which might impact negatively upon the process. They urged all parties
to ensure that all key players and groups had a stake in the peace process. They
urged all parties to ensure that all key players and groups had a stake in the
peace beyond elections.
Foreign Secretary Beckett reaffirmed
the UK's appreciation for South Africa's commitment to development in DRC. The
Ministers agreed that existing UK/SA co-operation in the DRC should be built upon,
and tasked officials to discuss how to take forward co-operation between the UK
and South Africa in the DRC. A UK team will visit Pretoria shortly to identify
further areas for joint activity.
Ministers welcomed the signature
of the Darfur peace agreement by the Government of Sudan and Minni Minawi's faction
of the Sudanese Liberation Movement, and praised the African Union's role in mediating
this. They noted strong international support for the agreement, including form
the Security Council, as expressed in Security Council Resolution 1679 and urged
those parties who have not signed the peace agreement to do so by the African
Union's end of May deadline. They looked forward to the early implementation of
the AU's decision to effect the transition form AMIS to a UN peacekeeping operation.
The Ministers discussed developments in Zimbabwe. They noted the declining situation
the country and agreed that no lasting solution to the challenges that face Zimbabwe
can be found, unless that solution is homegrown. They recalled their belief in
the need for systems of governance in which people are truly able to determine
their destiny. The UK reiterated its position that were the necessary changes
in the policies of the Government of Zimbabwe to occur, the UK along with EU partners
would be ready, like other donors, to support the rebuilding of that country.
The UK also briefed the South African delegation on the E3 approach to Iran.
The Foreign Ministers noted the proposal for the development of common international
standards for the trade in all conventional weapons and added their support to
calls from work on an Arms Trade Treaty to commence at the UN. They agreed that
the issue should be addressed at the UNGA First Committee later this year.
Ministers agreed on the importance of tackling the illicit trade in and transfer
of nuclear material, equipment and technology and agreed to continue co-operating
closely in this important area.
Ministers also looked forward
to the UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the UN Programme
of Action on small arms and light weapons and a successful outcome that strengthened
and reaffirmed the full implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small
arms and Light Weapons. The Ministers noted the adoption in January 2006 of the
Common African Position on the Review process; also noted the AU Ministers' call
upon the AU Commission to take the necessary steps towards the establishment of
a legally binding instrument on the illicit trade in small arms in Africa and
called upon other regions to develop legally binding instruments in this field.
Ministers noted ongoing work through regional, sub regional and national processes
towards the establishment of global guidelines governing transfers of small arms
and light weapons through relevant regional approaches.
Senior
officials agreed the importance for effective migration strategies, to strike
the right balance between the economic and social needs of the travelling public,
and increased security efforts world wide. Managed migration was a positive benefit.
Illegal migration benefited neither South Africa nor the UK. The UK agreed to
keep South Africa fully informed of its new Points-Based migration system as it
developed. Both the UK and South Africa agreed to counter illegal migration through
increased operational co-operation, for example, by targeting those with false
documentation, their facilitators, and those involved in the evil trade of people
trafficking. The UK and SA also agreed to exchange information and assistance
with passport, document issuing and asylum processes. The UK welcomed South Africa's
decision to build its own Airline Liaison Officer Network and offered assistance
with this initiative. UK officials explained their increased requirements for
functioning removal procedures and expressed the hope that this could be discussed
shortly at official and Ministerial level. Officials agreed the benefits of shared
best practice principles and exchange programme to further enhance understanding
and to strengthen the UK/South African Migration Partnership.
Ministers discussed the programmes underway to improve links between British and
South African Universities and Colleges. They welcomed the recent joint announcement
by Chancellor Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International
Development that the UK will spend at least $15 billion on aid to education over
the next 7 years. They also welcomed DFID's 15 million pounds Development Partnerships
in Higher Education Scheme(DELPHE), which will forster links between universities
in different developing countries, as well as links with the developed world over
the next 7 years. Ministers also welcomed the recent announcement by Chancellor
Gordon Brown that 1 Million pounds will be available specifically for partnerships
between higher education institutions in England and South Africa over the next
2 years. They welcomed the additional 2 million pounds that DfES is providing
for higher education partnership s between England and the rest of Sub-Saharan
Africa, and discussed proposal for a scheme too allocate these resources to partnerships
with the aim of supporting capacity building in African higher education. The
DfES-funded Africa Unit at the Association of Commonwealth Universities will play
a key role in facilitating and promoting these partnerships. The centrality of
co-ordination and prioritising programmes was emphasised. They reaffirmed the
importance of vocational training, and agreed to continue policy dialogue on this
issue. the Ministers discussed assessment, monitoring and evaluation models of
the school systems. A UK Education Minister was invited to participate in the
16CCEM Conference in Cape Town in December 2006.
Minister Maliband
and Van Schalkwyk tasked officials to prepare the ground for a formal UK-South
Africa High Level Dialogue on Sustainable Development. The Dialogue will provide
a platform for enhanced cross-governmental partnership on a range of sustainable
development issues to accelerate implementation of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
(2002), and mutual learning and practical collaboration. Work under the Sustainable
Development Dialogue will initially focus on climate change and co-operation on
the strategic approach to international chemicals management and be taken forward
by working groups as appropriate. The Working Group on Climate Change will enhance
policy dialogue on key climate-related issues, take forward joint activities to
address climate change, and feed into relevant processes. This will include, in
particular, implementation of activities relevant to the Gleneagles Dialogue and
Plan of Action; adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change; capacity
building; scientific and technological collaboration; economic modelling and long
term scenario planning; and support for South-South co-operation. Modalities
for working groups will be elaborated in due course.
Science
and technology officials noted that the bilateral relationship has been revived
through successful visits to South Africa by Sir David King, the Chief Scientific
Adviser to the Prime Minister, and Professor Gordon Conway, the Chief Scientific
Adviser to DFID. They underlined the significant success of these engagements
in cementing the relationship between the Department of Science and Technology
(DST), the Office of Science and Innovation (OST) and DFID. The UK expressed its
interest in South Africa's role in climate change and energy technologies; biodiversity;
biotechnology for the development of new crops; science and technology capacity
building for African development; and the use and mediation of South African expert
science and technology services to support common development objectives. The
officials recalled the further areas of potential co-operation highlighted at
South Africa Day in January 2006, hosted by the Royal Society under the OST/DST
Networking Scheme, and engaging researchers, funders and policy makers in the
UK and SA. Workshops were held in Astronomy, Biotechnology, Energy and Climate
Change and Advanced Manufacturing. Officials reaffirmed that many of these areas
will be taken forward under the OST/DST Networking Scheme, a bilaterally funded
initiative designed to bring together excellent scientists to explore collaborative
opportunities in areas of mutual interest and benefit. This scheme has just been
renewed for a further three years.
Ministers heard a report of
the meeting of Ministers for Health Rosie Winterton and Minister Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang,
which had taken place on 23 May in the margins of the World Health Assembly in
Geneva. They discussed the ongoing positive outcomes from the 2003 SA-UK Memorandum
of Understanding on the Reciprocal Exchange of Healthcare concepts and personnel.
Improved communication and the sharing of skills and expertise are evident in
both formal seminars (involving the UK's Health Protection Agency and National
Institute for Clinical Excellence and the SA Department of Health and associated
agencies) and informal contact building. Time-limited placements of British and
South African health professionals in each other's countries are progressing steadily.
Over the period of the MOU, active recruitment of health personnel has been minimised
and there has been a significant reduction in the numbers of South African nurses
registering in the UK. The Ministers agreed to continue with the current exchange
of information, with a seminar planned on 'Human Resources for Health: Improving
Working Lives' later in 2006 and a Nursing Summit in early 2007. They also agreed
to formalise the exchange of information between both Health Departments and their
agencies regarding preparations for a possible outbreak of Avian and Human Influenza
Pandemic.
Sports Minister Caborn and Deputy Minister Oosthuizen
agreed to continue work to work together in the field of sports co-operation,
and welcomed the outcomes of the South African High Commission's sports conference
in London on 11 and 12 May, which took this co-operation forward. The Ministers
also acknowledged that both countries would be able to learn from their respective
preparations for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic
Games. The Ministers reviewed and updated the bilateral Protocol of Action on
Sport; agreed on a strategic arrangement for co-ordinating UK sporting initiatives
in South Africa; agreed to take forward plans for a scholarship scheme for black
South African cricketers to play and be coached by league teams in the UK; and
announced a swimming coaching exchange.
Minister David Lammy
and Pallo Jordan discussed the burgeoning cultural links between South Africa
and the UK. They are delighted to have signed the bilateral film co-production
treaty which would facilitate co-operation between our respective producers, and
they agreed to continue staff exchanges between libraries and museums. They looked
forward to the commencement of the curator training scheme which will see 10 South
African museum curators and a librarian starting placements across England from
July 2006.
Ministers Lammy and Jordan identified several further
areas of mutual interest during the discussions. These included developing exchanges
between museums and galleries; developing links between publishers and writers
in South Africa and the UK; facilitating contacts between the organisers of cultural
programmes for events such as the Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002 and Liverpool
European Capital of Culture 2008 and the organisers of South Africa World Cup
2010; inviting further co-operation between the British Council in South Africa
and Visiting Arts in the UK to encourage mutual recognition of cultures in the
two countries.
Ministers agreed to meet again for a Bilateral
Forum in 2007.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Department
of Foreign Affairs P/Bag X152 Pretoria 0001
