Joint Statement by President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki, President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, as President of the Council of the European Union, and Commission President José Manuel Barroso on the occasion of the First EU-South Africa Summit in Bordeaux, France on 25 July 2008

Presidents Mbeki, Sarkozy and Barroso met today and agreed to issue the following joint statement:

SA-EU Strategic Partnership:

The Presidents welcomed that since the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between South Africa and the EU in May 2007, bilateral relations have developed into an enhanced mutually beneficial partnership, based on strengthened political dialogue and cooperation in a wide range of economic and other areas. The partnership is a reflection of the shared values and interests of South Africa and the EU, and an instrument to jointly pursue both sides' commitment to promote liberty, peace, security and stability in the world, and Africa in particular.

The Presidents agreed to increase coordination and cooperation on peace and security through regular meetings between the EU Political and Security Committee and South Africa.

The Presidents identified the following possible areas for enhanced bilateral cooperation in the future: energy, space, transport, health, ICT, migration and social dialogue.

The Presidents welcomed South Africa’s recent participation in the EU Framework Programmes for Research where SA researchers are participating in more than 170 projects supported by a direct EU investment of more than € 20 million in South Africa.  They noted the € 30 million Sector Budget Support funds provided to South Africa for strengthening science and technology interventions for poverty alleviation. 

The Presidents also appreciated the successful outcome of the side event on "Water Research for Sustainable Development" and agreed on the main orientations to strengthen research cooperation, also in support of the Science, Information Society and Space Partnership of the Africa – EU Joint Strategy and the new South African Development Community (SADC) Science and Technology Protocol.

The Presidents welcomed the development of a window for South African students and scholars to participate in the Erasmus Mundus programme and enrol in European universities.

The Presidents agreed to pave the way for enhanced customs cooperation and to start with the launch of a customs cooperation project in order to share best practices on a wide range of issues, including on the implementation of the World Customs Organisation’s SAFE Framework of Standards.

Regional/security issues:

Both sides welcomed the adoption of the Joint EU-Africa Strategy at the Second EU-Africa Summit held in Lisbon, on 9 and 10 December 2007, and expressed their determination to work towards its full implementation. In this context, the meeting welcomed the intention of South Africa and the EU to work towards increased cooperation between the EU and the AU to promote peace and security on the African continent as an essential condition for development. In this regard, the Presidents noted with satisfaction the progress made in the broader Great Lakes region and committed to further cooperate to enhance the prospect for durable peace in Burundi.

The Presidents also welcomed the adoption by the EU of the EU Agenda for Action on the MDGs.

The Presidents exchanged views on the current situation in Zimbabwe. They expressed their concern at the prevailing situation and its negative impact on the sub-region. In light of the negative reports by SADC, the AU and the Pan-African Parliament observers on the run-off election held on 27 June 2008, they further stressed the need to create an environment conducive for democracy.

The EU recalled its view that a transitional Government should be established, respecting fully the will of the Zimbabwean people as expressed on 29 March 2008 which resulted in MDC and Mr Tsvangirai leading the presidential poll, with a view to the organization of early free, fair and democratic elections. It recalled the GAERC Conclusions of 22 July 2008 expressing its readiness to take further measures in the absence of new positive developments in the coming weeks.

South Africa stressed the need for all to respect the right of the Zimbabwean people to determine their future free of outside interference and that the most urgent task now is to assist the leadership of Zimbabwe across the political divide to negotiate an agreement that will help Zimbabwe solve its challenges.

The Presidents welcomed the commitment by President Mbeki to facilitate the negotiation process between the parties, with a view to reaching an early and successful outcome. The Presidents welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Harare on 21 July 2008, which is in line with the AU Summit Resolution of Sharm el-Sheik of 1 July 2008, as a first step towards an agreement between the parties that would reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people. Consistent with the undertakings made in the MOU, the Presidents called for an immediate end to the violence, and the lifting of all restrictions to the distribution of humanitarian aid. They called on the Zimbabwean parties to act with urgency and cooperate in good faith towards the successful conclusion of the negotiations.

Presidents reaffirmed their commitment to the stability and integrity of Sudan.

The Presidents underlined the need for all Parties to commence with an inclusive political process to find lasting peace in Darfur and welcomed the recent appointment of Mr Bassole as United Nations /African Union Facilitator for the Darfur Peace process.

The Presidents called for the speedy deployment of the United Nations/ African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to end the suffering of the people of Darfur and of women and children in particular. The Presidents condemned the recent attacks on peacekeepers where seven were killed and twenty two wounded.

The Presidents expressed their support for the progress made in terms of the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), particularly the ratification of the Electoral Law, which paves the way for the holding of general elections scheduled to take place in July 2009. They further expressed their support for the agreement by the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) on the “Roadmap for Return of IDPs and Implementation of Abyei Protocol” to finding a lasting solution to the resolution of the Abyei border dispute.

Regarding the ICC, the Presidents emphasised the importance of putting an end to impunity in Darfur.

Taking into account the regional dimension of the Darfur crisis and with regard to Eastern Chad and CAR, Presidents noted that EUFOR Chad/CAR is an important EU contribution to improve in particular the security for refugees and IDPs.

The meeting also discussed the question of migration with the aim to promote mutual understanding and cooperation on the matter. Both sides recognise the multidimensional challenges of migration and the need to cooperate on addressing these challenges. Both sides agreed that migration requires a global approach and welcomed the idea to establish a structured dialogue, covering issues such as legal and illegal migration, including admission rules and respecting dignity and rights of migrants, capacity building as well as the linkages between migration and development.

The meeting also discussed a number of international crises in particular the Middle East peace process, where both sides recognised the positive role played by the other side. Both sides expressed their support for the post-Annapolis negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships. Both sides welcomed other constructive contributions, in particular the Arab League Peace Initiative. They further urged the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams to achieve the goal of establishing a viable Palestinian state, existing side by side in peace with Israel within internationally recognised borders, before the end of 2008, as declared at the Annapolis Middle East Peace Meeting.

Economic Partnership:

Both sides recognised the positive role that the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) continues to play in increasing exchanges between South Africa and the EU, creating new areas of cooperation and establishing a new development framework. They welcomed the revision undertaken in 2007 and looked forward to its adoption in the near future.

Following on the discussion between the participants at the Lisbon Summit, the Presidents engaged in an open and frank exchange of views on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and the SADC EPA group of countries[1] . Both the EU and South Africa share the objective that the EU-SADC EPA should promote development and regional integration in Africa, specifically in SADC and SACU. The Presidents confirmed their commitment to bridge the prevailing differences and reach an outcome that is balanced and beneficial for all parties.

In line with the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and NEPAD, the meeting emphasised the important role that the private sector can play to drive Africa’s development. The Presidents discussed the challenges to make the business environment in Africa more conducive to investment, employment creation, growth and sustainable development, and adopted the attached joint political statement on the subject. In this regard emphasis was given to enhancing investment in the following sectors: energy, ICT, water, agriculture and transport. They also recognized that improving the functioning and efficiency of capital markets in Africa is an important driver for private sector growth. The Presidents also expressed support for the role played, i.e. by the European Investment Bank, EU –Africa Trust Fund for Infrastructure, African Development Bank and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa in driving investment in Africa.

Both Parties remain committed to concluding the Doha Round in line with the developmental mandate and objectives set out in the Doha Declaration. Presidents recognized the importance of the Doha Round to promote global economic growth and further integration of developing countries into the global trading system on a fair and equitable basis. South Africa emphasised that an equitable and proportional outcome of NAMA that does not undermine industrial development is integral to a successful outcome. Both sides signalled their willingness to engage further in the process in order to resolve the remaining differences among WTO members in a constructive manner.

The consequences for the developing world of rising food prices were also discussed.

Global issues:

Climate change is a vital challenge to humanity and as such needs to be addressed by both developing and developed countries in accordance with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities.

The Presidents emphasised their shared commitment to the objectives and principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. They reaffirmed their utmost determination to conclude negotiations on a strengthened global climate change agreement by 2009 and decided to issue the attached political statement.

The Presidents highlighted the need for enhanced energy efficiency and security and recommended to step up cooperation in this field, both building on the newly launched working group on coal, clean coal and carbon capture and storage. The meeting agreed to the creation of an Energy Dialogue Forum to oversee the work of these groups, give a structure to bilateral contacts and encourage and facilitate further co-operation in such areas as energy efficiency and renewable energies.

South Africa thanked France for hosting the first ever EU-South Africa Summit.

Bordeaux, France, 25 July 2008

1st SA-EU Summit, 25 July 2008, Bordeaux, France

Declaration on Climate Change

We acknowledge that climate change is a serious global challenge which demands urgent, cooperative and shared responsibility to act. In this context, we underline our joint commitment to the objectives and principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol. We agree on the necessity to conclude negotiations on a strengthened and effective global agreement for the climate change regime after 2012 by the end of 2009.

We affirm the urgent need to work closely together on the development of all elements of an agreement on the climate regime beyond 2012. We jointly underline the need to muster political will to take stronger action on climate change and to examine how the international framework could facilitate such action.

To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, all countries need to carry their fair share of responsibility to limit a global temperature increase to below 2oC, in accordance with the UNFCCC principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. In this context, we recognise that a global transition to a low-carbon economy and society is essential and that it is both affordable and achievable.  We note that the transition presents many opportunities for developing the environmental economic sector and requires major efforts to enhance sustainable consumption and production patterns, as well as sustainable lifestyles.  Given the global nature of the climate change challenge, we further note that this transition to a low carbon and sustainable economy requires a strengthened, equitable and effective global climate change agreement which enables and supports long-term cooperative international, regional and domestic action.

We therefore highlight that this global agreement should be informed by the best available science as set out in the IPCC 4th Assessment Report, that points to the need for a shared vision of achieving equitable and sustainable development, which includes a global long term goal for emissions to peak within the next 10-15 years and decline by at least 50% by 2050, compared to 1990 levels. 

We further stress that, for this shared vision and long term global goal to be credible, it requires all developed countries to take the lead by committing to ambitious and comparable legally binding emission reduction targets.  In this context, we call upon the international community to consider the most ambitious set of targets reflected in the 4th Assessment Report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, which indicates the need for emissions reduction targets by all developed countries, as a group, in the range of 25% to 40% by 2020, and in the range of 80% to 95% by 2050 as well as emission reductions below “business-as-usual” emission trajectories in some developing country regions by 2020 and substantial emission reductions below “business-as-usual” emission trajectories in all developing country regions by 2050.

We realise that leadership of this nature by developed countries on its own would not be enough, it would also need to trigger a significant contribution from developing countries to the global effort, through measurable, reportable and verifiable actions to substantially reduce their emissions below “business-as-usual” emission trajectories. We further understand that enhanced mitigation action by developing countries will be supported and enabled by technology, finance and capacity building from developed countries, which is provided in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner.

We confirm that developed countries need to commit to scale up financing to deliver new, adequate and predictable finance for adaptation and mitigation actions and related technology development, deployment and transfer. We highlight that some of the tools that could be considered as part of the financial and technology architecture up to and beyond 2012 include an expanded international carbon market, including expanding emissions trading and improving the Clean Development Mechanism; innovative financing mechanisms as well as the financial mechanism of the Convention. Climate and climate specific enabling environments at international, regional and national levels are considered crucial in this regard.

We acknowledge the EU’s decreasing emissions (-10,8% compared to base year levels) and take note of the EU’s efforts to further reduce emissions, particularly with regard to its recent “Climate action and renewable energy package” of proposals that will deliver on the European Union's ambitious commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy up to 2020 and beyond. We also acknowledge the EU’s unilateral commitment to reduce its overall emissions to at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and its readiness to scale up this reduction to as much as 30% under a new global climate change agreement if other developed countries make comparable efforts. We note the EU’s target of an increased share of renewables in energy use to 20% by 2020.

We acknowledge that South Africa is committed to undertaking measurable, reportable and verifiable nationally appropriate mitigation actions in the context of sustainable development.  We note that enhanced mitigation action by South Africa to ensure that its emissions substantially deviate from business-as-usual trajectories will be supported and enabled by technology, finance and capacity building from developed countries.

South Africa’s Long Term Mitigation Scenario (LTMS) study and planning will set the pathway for its long-term climate policy and will eventually inform a legislative, regulatory and fiscal package to give effect to this policy.

Both parties agree to work on appropriate incentives for action to enable mitigation and adaptation. We further agree to exchange information about policy options to address win-win potentials for adaptation and emission reductions, e.g. from energy efficiency measures as well as work to address barriers to implementation.  We agree to engage in closer exchange on national climate change strategies and explore needs and tools for enhanced financial and technical cooperation. We agree to cooperate, among others, in the area of climate friendly development, adaptation, renewable energy, climate relevant research and development and in the design of innovative carbon market mechanisms to provide stronger incentives for deployment of commercial technologies.

We agree to cooperate and take strong measures to encourage low carbon technology development, deployment and dissemination. Both parties will work jointly to ensure that the technologies become affordable, particularly energy options.  In this context, we agree to explore possibilities to cooperate in the area of near-zero emissions coal technology through carbon capture and geological storage.

We also agree to cooperate on capacities and capabilities in the area of policy and measures for monitoring and reporting with a view to establish national monitoring and reporting systems and identifying areas for improvement. We further agree to cooperate on activities relating to avoided deforestation as well as reforestation and afforestation.

We agree that even with the achievement of limiting climate change to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the global community will still suffer from unavoidable climate change and therefore adaptation must be treated with equal importance as mitigation.  We recognize the leading role of developed countries in supporting effective adaptation actions in developing countries. In this context, we conclude that integration of climate change into planning and development strategies and into all relevant decision-making processes at all levels of society is an important element of effective adaptation at national level, while also acknowledging that adaptation actions needed to protect global and regional public goods and services are a key priority for joint action by the international community.

We affirm that we will continue work in the context of the European Commission-South Africa Forum for Environment and Sustainable Development and its working group on Climate Change and note that this cooperation will strengthen cooperation and dialogue on climate change including clean energy, and promote sustainable development in agreed areas of cooperation. Furthermore, confirm their commitment to continuing the work in the context of the EU-Africa strategy and its EU-Africa Partnership on climate change with a view to build a common agenda on climate change policies and to address land degradation and increasing aridity.

Declaration by the EU-South Africa summit regarding the private sector

The private sector is an important partner for bringing about growth and sustainable development throughout the world. Consequently, it must be involved in any strategies which are implemented with a view to reducing poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

In line with the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, South Africa and the EU support the creation of a conducive, regulatory and enabling environment favourable to entrepreneurship, trade, appropriate investment and innovation. It is the responsibility of states to establish and implement transparent regulatory frameworks and systems of good governance. The private sector should be encouraged to adopt the UN Global Compact Principles as well as to comply with local laws, thus contributing to the development of local communities and the protection of the environment.

In this regard both sides will co-operate on research and development, technology transfer, development of the agricultural sector, quality infrastructure and skills development in support of the industrialisation process. It should also be noted that the development of the private sector depends on investments in essential infrastructure (especially telecommunications, energy, transport, water). These efforts should be underpinned by the NEPAD objectives and appropriate economic growth and development strategies of African countries.

South Africa and the European Union underlined the need for appropriate investment projects and financing that meets the needs of Africa. The parties reiterated the importance of "meso finance" and micro‑credit for the development of small and medium-sized undertakings, including venture capital for Africa’s science and technology entrepreneurs. Both parties also wish to give their full support to the development of financial markets which will provide African enterprises with easier access to the financial resources which are necessary for the generation of new projects.

The European Union and South Africa recognise that measures need to be taken to maximise the impact of private sector development on the reduction of poverty. They therefore encourage initiatives aimed at increasing the density of the network of SMEs, which are major sources of employment, and ensuring the sustainable development of all types of agricultural businesses, from family-run farms to large-scale agricultural and agri-food undertakings, since they play a key role in any policy on food security, the preservation of natural resources and land management.

Finally, in the context of globalisation, the knowledge-based economy must contribute fully to Africa's development. This means encouraging the development of activities and partnerships in new-technology sectors and facilitating the transfer of technology and research cooperation between large undertakings and SMEs. In that connection, the European Union and South Africa acknowledge the need to support the development of both large and small undertakings in growth sectors (ICTs, water, energy and environment technologies, biomedical research, transport, space and the agri-food industry). This includes the strengthening of knowledge generation and innovation capacities that encourage investment and trade, notably in the agricultural and industrial sectors.

Bordeaux, France, 25 July 2008