Congratulatory Remarks by Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Jamaica, 6 August 2007, Pretoria

Your Excellency, Acting High Commissioner Thomas,
Deputy Minister Jacobus
Your Excellencies Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Members of the Diplomatic Community,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

I feel honoured and privileged to represent the Government and the people of South Africa on this important occasion in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Independence of Jamaica.

Acting High Commissioner Thomas, as this is the first opportunity that I have had to celebrate this Independence Day with you since your arrival in South Africa last year, may I wish you personally, a very happy celebration and a fruitful stay in our country.

South Africa and Jamaica enjoy cordial relations. Jamaica was a staunch supporter of the anti-apartheid struggle and continues to be a valuable friend and ally, both bilaterally and in the multilateral sphere. The historical and cultural ties between Africa and the countries of the Caribbean and our common challenges and experiences of slavery, colonialism and subjugation have bonded us on many levels.

On the occasion of the Diaspora South Africa-Africa Union-Caribbean Diaspora Conference, Kingston, Jamaica, 17 March 2005, Minister Dlamini Zuma reflected on our relations thus:

We have come together to affirm our identity as one people, because of our common origins. With Africa not only as our place of common origins, but also widely regarded as the Cradle of Humankind, today we can all say with conviction that African blood flows through our veins.

Some of us have come from the long African coastline from where our people were captured forcefully shipped off in chains to the Carribbean Islands. We are gathered here to pay homage to the many who fought for freedom, the heroes and heroines who with determination, tenacity and unwavering courage cast this inhumane system of slavery into the dustbins of history.

The commonality of our shared roots comes through even in our national mottos, the Jamaican being "Out of Many One People", our being "Unity in Diversity."

As developing countries, South Africa and Jamaica share a number of common challenges and interests, principal of which is the advancement of the socio-economic development of our countries and citizens. Together with our cultural heritage, this forms the basis of our relations, both at a government-to-government and people-to-people levels.

Over the past thirteen years, the bilateral relations between South African and Jamaica witnessed remarkable growth and it is perhaps appropriate to reflect on these. South Africa established non-resident diplomatic relations with Jamaica in September 1994. A decision to open a diplomatic Mission in Jamaica was taken in 1998, which resulted in the first Resident Mission opening in Kingston, in October 2000.

A further demonstration of our growing bilateral relations was President Mbeki's state visit to Jamaica in 2003, which included his attendance of the CARICOM Heads of State Summit. President Mbeki's address to CARICOM was the second time South Africa's Head of State addresses CARICOM, with President Nelson Mandela having addressed that meeting in 1998.

Beyond these visits at Heads of State level, there have been several by Ministers and high ranking government officials to further seek opportunities for collaboration between our countries. In this regard, the visit by Ministers in the Presidency and Sport and Recreation, during the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup 2007 were another significant step in our growing bilateral interactions. During this crucial event in the Caribbean, the South African Government support and assistance to ensure the security and safety of the people, participants and visitors to the region

Bilateral relations have received a further boost with the establishment of the first ever Jamaican High Commission in South Africa in 2006. We trust that this will significantly increase our interactions at people-to-people level as well as promote co-operation in areas of trade and tourism, amongst others.

There are currently a number of agreements under negotiations. These include a Draft Agreement on Scientific and Technical Co-operation and the Agreement on Co-operation in the fields of Arts and Culture.

As members of the ACP, Commonwealth, NAM and the G77, South Africa and Jamaica have collaborated closely in pursuing South -South cooperation. In an effort to enhance dialogue and establish sustainable partnerships between Africa and its Diaspora, a Regional Caribbean Diaspora Consultative Conference will take place later this month. The Conference is a follow-up to the SA, AU, Caribbean Diaspora Conference held in Kingston in March 2005, which, amongst other objectives, called for the creation of a concrete mechanism for the institutionalisation of relations between the two bodies.

Excellency, it is our wish that the relations between our two countries will prosper and grow even further in future and in this regard, South Africa is looking forward to continue working closely with the High Commission of Jamaica in Pretoria.

In take this opportunity on behalf of the Government and people of South Africa, I wish the People of the Republic of Jamaica a happy Independence Day, and to reaffirm that this day is not only of historical significance to Jamaica but also to the history of humankind. I will also take this opportunity to wish the Government and People of Jamaica all the best in the coming general- elections to be held on 27 August 2007.

I thank you.