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Address by Deputy Minister Pahad on
the Occassion of the Symposium on Brazilian Views of
SA Foreign Policy, 19-20 June 2001
KEY THEMES IN SA/BRAZIL RELATIONS
Chairperson
Your Excellencies
Distinguished guests from Brazil
SA Colleagues
I wish to thank the organizers for inviting me to participate
in this symposium. The various Brazilian views on South
African Foreign Policy, from a cross section of renowned
Brazilian academics should present stimulating substance
for discussion.
The Brazilian government in 1999 commissioned the book
"Brazilian Views on South African Foreign Policy".
The Editor in his foreword expresses the idea that the
main goal of this project was "to promote the elaboration
of studies of special importance to Brazil and in this
way contribute to the gradual building of a Brazilian
view of the main societies and States."
It is indeed a privilege for South Africa to be regarded
by Brazil as being of "special importance"
more significantly however it is the identification
of a strategic partner in the global arena.
We seek to build a strategic partnership acutely conscious
that as we enter the New Millennium "opportunities
are there to grasp. The threats are there to contain".
The cold war has ended. The 21st Century can be the
age of the South, the age of renewal and renaissance,
the age of hope.
As we seek to create a better future for the countries
of the South, we are faced with the reality that globalisation
integrates economies but also culture, technology and
governance. Increased trade, financial flows, new technologies,
and internet connections are opening up unprecedented
possibilities for human advance. However, the advances
are uneven and the new globalised world order also poses
challenges to sovereignty, independence and stability.
The U.N. Human Development Report [1999] reflects some
of the challenges.
"When the market gets out of hand, the instabilities
show up in boom and bust economies, as in the financial
crisis in East Asia and its world wide repercussions.
When profit motives get out of hand, they challenge
people’s ethics – and sacrifice respect for
justice and human rights.
More than 80 countries still have per capita incomes
lower that they were a decade ago. While 40 countries
have sustained average per capita income growth of more
than 3% a year since 1990, 55 countries, [mostly in
Sub-Saharan African and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth
of Independent States] had declining per capita incomes.
I therefore agree with the UNDP that "the challenge
is not to stop expansion of global markets, the challenge
is to find the rules and institutions for stronger governance
to also provide enough for human, community and environmental
resources to ensure that globalization works for people
– not just for profits. Globalisation with:
Ethics
Equity
Inclusion
Human Security
Sustainability
Development"
The relationship between South Africa and Brazil, which
is multi-facetted, is vital if we are to achieve a new
globalised world order, which is people centred and
benefits all.
Principles such as good governance, non-sexism, non-racism
and people centered development, resembles virtual reality
to the common man marking his cross at the polls. He,
whose only reality, is the hope for a better tomorrow.
Our highest national priority therefore, is allocated
to democracy and the guaranteeing of basic human rights
such as the right to live in peace and equality, free
from poverty and disease, free from ignorance and the
repercussions of ignorance.
The fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution
of the Republic of South Africa, such as the right to
human dignity; equality and freedom are the principles
that inspire our approach to foreign policy. However
of vital importance to foreign policy, is the necessity
to be conscious of the growing need to formulate domestic
policies in accordance with international standards,
international obligations, international trends and,
in the process, still to promote South Africa’s
own well-being and prosperity.
In the interests of the growth and development of South
Africa, integrated regional development within the Southern
Africa is essential. The Southern African Development
Community (SADC) is the foundation on which we seek
to achieve economic growth, prosperity, peace and stability
to improve the quality of life for the masses of our
people.
The countries of the Southern African region can only
achieve their full potential through close cooperation
in the exploitation of natural resources in a coordinated
fashion, the pooling of technical expertise, the harmonization
of trade practices and the promotion of economies of
scale.
The aim of SADC is to create a community providing
regional peace and security sector cooperation and an
integrated regional economy.
Your deliberations must look at South Africa in the
context of SADC.
This vision is shared not only within the SADC, but
also with the rest of our bilateral and multilateral
partners on the African continent. Partners that share
the desire to achieve a continent, which can be considered
by the rest of the world as an active, valuable and
significant contributor to political, as well as economic
developments in the world. To this end, South Africa
is committed to the Millenium Africa Recovery Programme
(MAP), which in essence seeks to realize an Africa that
is not regarded as synonymous with wars, disease and
underdevelopment.
MAP reflects the commitment of African leaders to accept
responsibility for the stark reality that 33 of the
42 least developed countries are in sub-Saharan Africa
and that millions of our people still live on less than
$1 a day.
It also reflects our commitment to do something about
this reality. It is an African developmental programme,
which reflects our aspirations and needs.
Henceforth we will interact with the developed countries
and multi-lateral institutions, such as the IMF and
World Bank, with a common African programme, determined
by ourselves.
We have no illusions of the gravity and enormity of
the task facing our continent and expect no easy or
quick solutions. However we are committed to using Africa’s
huge economic and human potential to end Africa’s
under-development and ensure a better and prosperous
future for all our peoples.
In an increasingly globalizing world, where geographical
location is of central relevance to foreign relations,
the power of negotiation finds strength in unity. Not
only with regard to groupings within a region or a continent,
but amongst countries that markedly share common problems
such as poverty eradication and disease, that have grown
to characterize developing nations.
Unlike the relationship between North and South, South-South
relations are based on mutuality of interest and benefits
shared responsibilities and genuine interdependence.
In order to effectively tackle development challenges
as countries facing common problems, our first course
of action is to share and exchange experiences, to transfer
technology and expertise in the fields of social development,
health, science and technology etc. It is also necessary
to seize the potential of increased South-South trade,
by liberalizing trade amongst us.
In this regard South Africa and Brazil have jointly
made great strides of progress. During the recent visit
of President Mbeki to Brazil to attend the MERCOSUL
Summit in December 2000, a Framework Agreement for the
Creation of a Free Trade Area between South Africa and
MERCOSUL was signed. It evidences the necessity and
political will of both parties to expand existing relations
and contextualise South-South cooperation in the economic
sphere.
The agreement is a concrete step in the direction of
creating an instrument, which is intended to provide
a structured mechanism that will propel economic cooperation
forward. The alignment of countries sharing similar
economic concerns, in the context of globalization and
the challenges facing developing nations, creates a
buttress to support our over-arching goals.
An Agreement was also signed between the South Africa
and Brazil on the establishment of a Joint Commission.
The agreement underwrites the strategic relationship
between South Africa and Brazil and inter alia provides
for the Joint Commission to facilitate bilateral cooperation
on key issues of mutual concern such as education, health
and agriculture. This institutional mechanism"
will deepen SA/Brazil relations across the board.
Since the advent of democracy in 1994, a host of other
agreements have been signed. The Agreement on Drug Enforcement
has brought a rapid decline of 40% in the number of
drug trafficking offenses.
In 1996, the agreement to abolish visas for Brazilian
and South African nationals for a period not exceeding
90 days materialized. This and the signing of a Bilateral
Air Services agreement, has made possible, a 50% capacity
increase in the SAA flight between South Africa and
Brazil.
The signing on 12 December 2000 of a "Declaration
of Intent on Cooperation in the Field of Health"
will facilitate cooperation in dealings with problems
such as the HIV/AIDS plague. Brazil has been successful
in combating AIDS and South Africa seeks to learn from
the Brazilian experience as well as engage in the transfer
of technology and expertise.
All developing countries are engaged in struggles of
a similar nature with regard to North-South relations.
In order to redefine and negotiate the position of the
South with the North, it is imperative for our countries
to adopt and present common positions in multilateral
fora, on matters including the reform of the United
Nations, the Bretton Woods Institutions and the reform
of the global and political economic order.
Since the failure of the 3rd round of the WTO Ministerial
Conference in Seattle in December 1999, South Africa
and Brazil, along with other WTO members, have been
active in seeking to build consensus to launch a new,
broad-based round of multilateral trade negotiations
in which development would be of central focus. In January
2000, Minister Erwin announced an initiative that seeks
to draw together developing countries around a common
agenda and shared objectives in the WTO. The organic
alliance between Brazil, India, Egypt, and South Africa
that emerged will be an important instrument to advance
the cause of the South.
Chairperson
More than ever before the future of the prosperous
is inextricably linked to the future of the poor.
There can be "no island of prosperity in a sea
of poverty".
As I said earlier the north and the south must forge
genuine and equitable collective efforts to achieve
sustainable development based on the principle of equity
and justice.
We are happy that the voice of the South is being heard.
The historic Millennium Summit which, inter alia, declared
that –
"We will spare no effort to free fellow men, women
and children from the abject and dehumanising conditions
of extreme poverty. We are committed to making the right
to development a reality for everyone, and to freeing
the entire human race from want.
We resolve, therefore to create an environment –
at the national and global levels alike – which
is conducive to development and to the elimination of
poverty".
The Summit further resolved –
To halve, by the year 2015, the proportion of the world’s
people whose income is less than one dollar a day and
the proportion of people who suffer from hunger; and
also, by the same date, to halve the proportion of people
who are unable to reach, or to afford, safe drinking
water.
To ensure that, by the same date, children everywhere,
boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full
course of primary schooling; and that girls and boys
will have equal access to all levels of education.
By the same date, to have reduced maternal mortality
by three quarters, and under-5 child mortality by two
thirds, of their current rates.
To halve, by then, halted, and begun to reverse, the
spread of HIV/AIDS, the scourge of malaria and other
major diseases that afflict humanity
To provide special assistance to children orphaned by
HIV/AIDS.
World leaders have made important commitments. The priority
must be to intensify our collective efforts to ensure
that the various commitments are turned into concrete
actions.
This will demand, inter alia –
the restructuring of the UN and it’s institutions
the convening of the 2nd round of the WTO with a developmental
agenda, [e.g. the re-examination of the rules governing
intellectual prosperity rights, dumping and counter
dumping measures, subsidies etc].
debt cancellation, human resource development and capacity
building, technology transfer
greater market access
greater Foreign Direct Investment.
Conclusion
It is intended that this "Think Tank" on
SA/Brazil relations will not only bring to the fore
diverse opinions and birth new ideas, but also that
at its conclusion its findings will serve to benefit
Government in its approach to bilateral, as well as,
multilateral relations.
It is the function of government to formulate policy,
but the participation of civil society; academics; the
business sector and NGOs are essential to this process.
It is heartening to see participants from these diverse
sectors of society present here today, prepared to actively
make their contribution to enhanced SA/Brazil relations.
I salute your efforts and wish you well as you embark
on this symposium.
I thank you.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT DUMISANI RASHELENG
OFFICE NO. {012} 351 0067 / 0128
CELL NO. 083 709 8166
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19 JUNE 2001
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