Speech by Dr Z Skweyiya, Africa Day Gala Dinner, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, 23 May 2008

TOWARDS THE REALISATION OF THE AFRICAN AGENDA: MEETING THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS ON WATER AND SANITATION

Programme Director
Honourable Ministers
Chairperson of the Nepad Business Foundation
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Premiers
Deputy Ministers
Executive Mayors
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fellow Africans
All Protocol Observed

It is an honour and privilege for me to welcome you to this Africa Day Gala Dinner co-hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the NEPAD Business Foundation to mark and celebrate the eve of a remarkable day in our history as Africans.  The day that saw the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. We have indeed travelled a long way since the OAU was created.  We have achieved independence from colonialism. Africa in responding to the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century replaced the OAU with the African Union (AU). 

 This year we proudly celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the birth of our continental organisation. An organisation which gave expression to our desire as Africans to be a free and united continent. 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Our celebration of Africa Day must acknowledge the progress that we made as Africans and also reflect upon the common challenges which we must face in a global environment that may undo our gains. The AU is at the centre of the continent’s renewal process, aimed at breaking away from political instability, poverty and underdevelopment, as well as Africa’s weak capacity to defend and advance her interests in the global arena.

Certainly the most obvious aspect of the celebration today is our Africanness, our pride in our identity, heritage, cultures and our resilience. As diverse as our culture may be across the continent, the one factor that binds us together is that we are African.

Cognisance should be taken of the progress made in moving towards the creation of a peaceful and prosperous Africa. I would like to take this opportunity to mention a few of these historic milestones which have been reached since the advent of the new millennium:

• We have launched the African Union (AU) and are in process of establishing and/or operationalising all relevant Organs and institutions.

• A continental programme which guides us in our efforts to bring about peace, stability, security and sustainable development has been developed collectively by Africans and adopted by the AU. I refer here to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)

• The launch of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) which is a unique voluntary system of self review by African member states to ensure conformity and commitment to democracy, respect for human rights, socio-economic development and good governance.

• The launch of the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF) to drive and sustain Africa’s infrastructure development in the field of transport, energy, water and sanitation and telecommunications.

• As we move closer towards integration of our continent, the Pan African Parliament (PAP) has already started debating on the matter of concern for all Africans.

• We have also created a platform within the AU to further discuss the issue of the establishment of the Union Government, such as the ongoing Heads of State and Government meeting, currently held in Arusha, Tanzania, in pursuit of social, political and economic integration of the continent.

It has been six years since the Millennium Development Goals on water and sanitation were agreed during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002.  Time has dawned on us again, to assess whether countries are on track and moving in the right direction in achievement of these goals.

You will indeed agree with me that water and sanitation services are essential for industrial development, but more importantly, for health and human life.  You will also agree with me that water and sanitation challenges affect mostly, our poor and vulnerable people across the regions of our continent

Africa has abundant water resources.  It has large rivers, big lakes, vast wetlands and widespread ground water resources.  In addition, it has a high potential for hydroelectric power development.  However, this resource base is threatened by certain natural and human factors.  The natural threats include among others, multiplicity of trans-boundary water basins, extreme spatial and temporal variability of climate and rainfall, growing water scarcity, shrinking of some water bodies, and desertification.  The human threats on the other hand, include depletion of water resources through pollution, environmental degradation, and deforestation, failure to invest adequately in resource assessment, protection and development of water storage structures.

These threats pose serious challenges to our aspirations of achieving improved access to water supply and sanitation, sufficient water for productive purposes to address food security and energy generation and prevention of water related disasters.   On the other hand financing the interventions required to meet these challenges is a huge concern.  Climate change is also expected to have an impact on water resources in Africa with an increasing frequency and severity of floods and draughts as well as changes of rainfall and food resource distribution patterns.   It is therefore necessary to put the challenge of food security, high in the African Agenda.

In pursuit to provide political and strategic guidance and oversight for governance and efficient management of Africa’s water resources as well as to review the attainment of the MDG targets for water and sanitation, we are challenged to ensure that we provide water security that is sustainable and also to improve access through development of appropriate infrastructure. 

Given this conviction, it is encouraging to note the positive political developments we are undertaking on the continent that are characterised by the New Partnership for Africa’s development (NEPAD) and the formation of the Africa Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) in 2002.  In addition to these, and on the technical front, the emergence of the African Water Task Force and its activities that aim to implement the African Water Vision 2025 and Framework for Action provide a foundation to address the challenges for the Millennium Development Goals targets in Africa in particularly dealing with matters on water and sanitation.

In addition, the establishment and consolidation of partnerships with African and international stakeholders, such as the African civil society networks, UN-Water/Africa, the European Union, the G8 and the United Nation’s Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) and our different public and private sector organs should be encouraged as a continental effort to address the African water challenges.    The ultimate answers to water and sanitation challenges, however, lies with us as Africans.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Let me also highlight on the NEPAD as a driver of regional projects on water and sanitation that will supports our road towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.   NEPAD is a mandated initiative of the African Union and is one of the most significant developments ever to take place in Africa.   It provides a type of leadership that assures ownership and introduces changes in the rules for partnership outside of Africa.

Water supply and sanitation is a sector included in the priority projects of the NEPAD as an important developmental issue.  As we assess our progress towards the attainment of the MDGs, we have come to realise that Africa, will not make much strides without developing partnerships that have common goals of improved water supply and sanitation services. 

The policies and directions that are being pursued under this priority are derived mainly from the Africa Water Vision 2025.  Given the ongoing activities on the water resources initiatives and developments and evolving enhancement of the political framework by activities under NEPAD and the formation of the African Ministers Council on Water in 2002, I further invite all our development partners today on the eve of celebrating Africa Day, to working together to achieve the accelerated service delivery in our continent as well as achieving our commitments towards the MDGs.  

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Africa Day is meant for us to celebrate as integrated African societies with shared values and most importantly a history of collectively overcoming the transgressions of Colonialism and Apartheid.  It is however, with innermost regret that we are experiencing in South Africa today, attacks on foreign nationals specifically form Africa.

Earlier today my Cabinet Colleague Mr Charles Nqakula the Minister of Safety and Security had a fruitful interaction with Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Pretoria, during which the violence affecting foreign nationals was discussed. We are heartened by the solidarity expressed by the Diplomatic Community for the efforts being undertaken by our government and people in dealing with these senseless acts of violence. As stated by Minister Nqakula this morning, a multi-sectoral and intergovernmental task team has been established to investigate the cause of these violent attacks and to recommend appropriate measures to be taken to deal with the situation.

As you are aware South Africa is a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Protocol on Refugee Convention and will fulfil its obligations to protect all foreign nationals.  The 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention ensures the basic human rights of vulnerable persons and that refugees will not be returned involuntarily to a country where they face persecution.  Providing them with food, shelter and other material assistance is the first step towards their long term protection and rehabilitation.

As a signatory to this protocol, and as a country that cherishes human rights, we have to protect the basic rights of every human being within our borders, including foreign nationals. The South African Government is committed to ensuring that all those who live in our country irrespective of their nationality are safe and enjoy all the rights enshrined in our constitution. In this regard we will do everything possible within the law to ensure the safety of all citizens and foreign nationals.  All law enforcement agencies will use the full might of the law to ensure the end to these violent attacks on foreign nationals.  I call upon our law-abiding citizens to cooperate with the authorities in this regard.

I would also like to encourage all organisations among others, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) and organised labour to educate the people of South Africa about the need to co-exist with foreign nationals. We need to join hands to rollback xenophobia and all other forms of intolerance.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the public, political parties and community leaders who have joined calls for immediate ending of violence.  I would also like thank those who have lent a helping hand to the victims to these attacks by amongst others, offering shelter, clothes and food.  They have by so doing demonstrated the true African spirit.

Let us practise UBUNTU.

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Let me close by borrowing from one of the fore fathers of the now African Union, Julius Nyerere, who wrote 24 years ago that, “indissoluble African unity is the stone bridge which would enable us all to walk in safety over this whirlpool power politics, and enable us to carry more easily the economic and social loads which now threaten to overwhelm us”.   

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I thank you

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

23 May 2008