Address by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Sue van der Merwe on the Occasion of the National Day of Portugal, Sunday, 10 June 2007

Your Excellency, Ambassador Barbosa
Your Excellencies
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Bom dia (good morning)

On behalf of the government and people of South Africa, I I would like also like to extend our warm congratulations to the government and the people of Portugal on the occasion of the celebration of their national day.

Also known as Camoes Day, today, throughout the world all people who call Portugal their home observe with a sense of pride their country's historical achievements dramatically captured in the epic poem "Lusiad", making Portugal one of the important building blocks of the European Renaissance.

This day offers an opportunity to the people of Portugal to celebrate the trials and triumphs of the Portuguese poet Camoes, whose prose embodies the spirit of a great nation. As a proud nation ourselves, we join our Portuguese comrades and friends in celebration of this auspicious day on their national calendar.

Both our countries have experienced rapid domestic socio-economic transformation as part of our respective economic growth and development strategies. We also have to remain alive to the challenges and opportunities that are provided by the processes of globalisation, which necessitate the adoption of dynamic foreign policies, including expanding of our foreign relationships to build partnerships with countries that share similar agendas.

The increasing strength of bilateral relations between our two countries is underpinned by our similar values and principles - including the maintenance of international peace and security; the primacy of the role of international law; as well as the importance of the role of the United Nations in global governance - that anchor our respective foreign policy principles.

This growing bilateral relationship has been re-enforced by a number of reciprocal high-level visits in the past few years in diverse areas such as politics, defence, trade and social development amongst others. In March last year, President Mbeki attended the inauguration of President Anibal Cavaco Silva. This was followed by an official visit by the Deputy President in November 2006.

Beyond a common approach to many international challenges, we also share a passion and commitment for the African continent.

This was confirmed by the solemn message by Prime Minister Socrates during his address to the United National General Assembly in 2006, where he stressed that: "Portugal has given great attention to this continent [Africa], which we cannot allow to be forgotten. There is progress to be encouraged, as well as historic responsibilities to which the developed world cannot turn its back."

There is a significant degree of convergence between South Africa and Portugal on major international issues such as conflict-resolution, peacekeeping and the promotion of peace, security and development in Africa. Portugal is currently involved in peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, countries in which we are also deeply involved.

Just as Portugal played a significant role in the European Renaissance, we hope that our partnership through forums such as the UN and the EU-Africa Summit, will ensure that we increase and sustain the momentum towards the rebirth of our continent.

Today, more than any other time in history, we are provided with an opportunity to make a real contribution in creating the kind of world we envisage. We must therefore harness the resource that is our people in all their diversity to inform our vision to the world.

I am sure that you will agree Ambassador, that there is no substitute for people-to-people contact in our quest to strengthen and consolidate our relations. Governments can only establish the framework and right conditions, but ultimately, enduring relationships are about people.

I wish to conclude with an extract from Camoes famous poem "The Lusiad" written by a great poet and recording high spirited action of his countrymen. I quote:

"And, onward still, thy fame his proud heart's guide
Haunting him unappeas'd, the dreary tide
Beneath the southern star's cold gleam he braves,
And stems the whirls of land-surrounded waves.
For ever sacred to the hero's fame,
These foaming straits shall bear his deathless name.
Through these dread jaws of rock he presses on,
Another ocean's breast, immense, unknown,
Beneath the south's cold wings, unmeasur'd, wide,
Receives his vessels; through the dreary tide
In darkling shades, where never man before
Heard the waves howl, he dares the nameless shore."

Once more, our warm congratulations on your national day..

Ladies and gentlemen,

Please raise your glasses and drink to the health of the people and government of Portugal.