Address by Mrs Sue van der Merwe, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the National Day Celebration of the Russian Federation, held in Pretoria on 12 June 2007.

Ambassador Anatoly Makarov and Mrs Makarov
Your Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is with great pleasure that I represent the people and Government of South Africa on this occasion. We wish to convey to you, Your Excellency, to the Government and the people of the Russian Federation our congratulations on the celebration of the 17th Anniversary since Independence. We are pleased to join you in this celebration.

Ambassador Makarov, as this is the first opportunity that I have had to celebrate your national day with you since your arrival in South Africa, may I wish you personally, a very happy celebration and a fruitful stay in our country.

Your Excellency, I have no doubt that you will continue where your predecessor left off and continue to consolidate our growing bilateral relations. South Africa is proud to have such a consistent and strategic partner in Russia. We will continue in efforts to develop our respective countries and we will do whatever we can to ensure that our continent and other developing regions of the world realise their goals of sustainable development and growth.

During President Vladimir Putin's historic state visit last year, the first ever visit by the head of State of the Russian Federation, our two Presidents signed the Treaty of Friendship and Partnership which has sealed the co-operation between our two countries. This agreement has substantially consolidated our bilateral and multilateral relations.

And as a result of the signing of the Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes, South Africa eagerly awaits the launch of the Sambundilasat satellite which is to take place in Russia later this year.

Since the establishment of the Joint Bi-National Commission, we have received numerous high profile visits the most recent being Prime Minister Fradkov's visit in March this year.

The Intergovernmental Trade and Economic Committee (ITEC) between our two countries has contributed to our bilateral relations reaching the level of a strategic partnership. The ITEC has so far been effective in consolidating and expanding our co-operation at various levels of government and business, in science and technology institutions and many other formations of civil society. We are particularly pleased to see that good progress is being made between South Africa and the Russian Federation in the important areas of minerals and energy and specifically in the area of deep space research. The high-level interaction between our two countries, especially in the areas of mining and strategic minerals, bears testimony to this.

Your Excellency, both countries agree on the importance of our mission to substantially strengthen the trade, economic and investment relations between our countries. I am pleased that 2006 saw the exchange of the highest trade figures between our two countries to date. The Department of Trade and Industry lead the very successful Business Delegation to Moscow in May, and this will no doubt further enhance activities in the commercial field. I am sure that the establishment of the Russia/ South Africa Business Forum will amplify trade and investment between our two countries.

We should also endeavour to add further impetus to our relations in the cultural area to promote more understanding between our peoples. As you recall, many of our people were exposed to Russian culture and language during the days of our own liberation struggle. The good nature, sincerity and hospitality demonstrated by ordinary Russian people to our people in exile left an indelible imprint on the minds of many South Africans who continue to have high regard for the modern day Russian Federation. This is a solid basis for any relationship and augurs well for our respective foreign policy agendas.

Excellency, a dinner was held in honour of President Putin during his visit to South Africa. At that dinner a South African choir sang the Russian National Anthem in Russian. All of us that were there were moved by the lovely young African voices singing in Russian, a further testimony, I believe to the warmth with which our countrymen and women hold the Russian people and their culture.

Mr Ambassador, South Africa and the Russian Federation, together have a duty to ensure that the changes that are effected at the United Nations and other multilateral institutions address the global challenge of inequality between all nations and regions. We should continue to work together so that these institutions are transformed in such a way that empowers us to defeat poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment within our respective regions and indeed globally.

We in South Africa are aware of Russia's support for the objectives of the African Renaissance, especially with reference to the NEPAD programmes. In view of the importance to us of the African Agenda, your country's assistance within the context of the G8 group of countries will substantially assist in achieving the goals of the NEPAD programme. We also look forward to continue our strategic relationship, especially in critical aspects of United Nations Security Council, so that Africa's voice can be heard strongly in the international community.

I am convinced that the possibilities for further co-operation between South Africa and the Russian Federation are unlimited, and that our common vision for a more secure world will enable us to identify opportunities to enhance the creation of a better world for our respective peoples.

Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in raising our glasses as we toast to the prosperity of the people and the government of The Russian Federation, and to the friendship between our nations.