Congratulatory Remarks on the Occasion of the National Day of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Pretoria, 24 July 2006

Your Excellency, Ambassador Mona Omar
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is with great pleasure that I represent the people and Government of South Africa on this auspicious occasion. We wish to convey to you, Your Excellency, to the Government and the people of the Arab Republic of Egypt our congratulations on the celebration of the 54th Anniversary of the Revolution. We are pleased to join you in this celebration.

May I take this opportunity to warmly welcome Ambassador Mona Omar recently appointed as the new representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt to South Africa. Your Excellency, you are not a stranger to our shores and I would like to wish you a very happy and fruitful stay in our country.

Diplomatic ties between our countries were re-established in 1994 and since then the South Africa-Egypt Joint Bilateral Commission (JBC) was established (in 1996) and has met on seven occasions, the most recent being Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in November 2005 in Cairo. Since the establishment of the JBC, our countries have signed more than 29 bilateral accords.

Our countries co-operate in various multilateral forums as members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), of the G20, NAM and African Union.

In addition to these, there have been several high level exchanges including the visits Foreign Ministers Moussa in 2000 and Maher in 2003. These and other interactions have produced common positions in various areas such as the recognition that both countries have responsibilities for maintaining peace and security in the continent, unifying Africa as well as dealing with the challenges posed by globalisation.

There is therefore a strong commitment on both sides to advance the agenda of the African continent globally through dialogue and coordination of positions. We are therefore encouraged by the recent announcement by Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs, Mohammed Hegazi that Egypt will initiate extensive diplomatic activities and political dialogue in Africa at various levels. Egypt's new "Africa-Centred Action Plan" would therefore be closely aligned with Egypt's membership of the AU Peace and Security Council and our own work in this area will again enable us to work together on resolving the challenges that face our continent.

On the economic front, a proper legal framework regulating trade, economic and investment relations between the two countries is in place. South African companies such as SASOL, Murray and Roberts, Macsteel and Karstens Farms have successfully invested in Egypt.

It is however clear that in addition to the political ties, we will need to consolidate our trade and people to people relationship.

There are obviously many benefits from an increases trade activity between our two countries, key amongst which would advancing common global positions on the trade for aid agenda, which will significantly advance our growth and development plans.

In addition, the strengthening of people to people contact is an important part in realising the rebirth of the Africa continent. Such rebirth is premised on the understanding that our continent, rich in history is the cradle of humankind. We have termed this century the African Century. This assertion is premised on our African heritage from an age, which Pixley ka Seme, the South African and ANC leader, vividly described in his 1906 speech entitled "The Regeneration of Africa". I quote:

Come with me to the ancient capital of Egypt, Thebes, the city of one hundred gates. The grandeur of its venerable ruins and the gigantic proportions of its architecture reduce to insignificance the boasted monuments of other nations. The pyramids of Egypt are structures to which the world presents nothing comparable. The mighty monuments seem to look with disdain on every other work of human art and to vie with nature herself. All the glory of Egypt belongs to Africa and her people. These monuments are the indestructible memorials of their great and original genius.

This history is our heritage and our future.

In order for us as African to understand and appreciate this vision of a united and prosperous Africa, we need to encourage interaction between our people through practical government to government actions. In doing so we need to maximise the tourism potential between our countries, our cultural and sporting exchanges.

Your Excellency,

South Africa will shortly appoint our new Ambassador to Egypt and we this will give further impetus to our growing relations.

Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in raising your glasses to toast the Arab Republic of Egypt on the celebration of her national day and on the friendship between our nations.