Madam Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Ministers, senior officials from the department and members of the diplomatic corps and hon members, in the limited time given to me, I will not respond to Rev Meshoe. In two minutes you could not list too many complaints! I am going to leave it to the Deputy Minister to react to the many complaints that he lodged.
It is an honour and privilege for me to participate as a novice to this portfolio committee on behalf of my party, the ANC, in this Budget Vote of the newly named Department of International Relations and Co-operation. I want to wish the newly appointed Minister, her two Deputies and the director-general and all staff members of the department all the best in striving to fulfil the vision of this department during this fourth term of our Parliament. This vision states, and I quote:
An African continent which is prosperous, peaceful, democratic, nonracial, nonsexist and united, and which contributes to a world that is just and equitable.
I am confident that we, as the portfolio committee, under the chairmanship of Comrade Thulas Nxesi, will maintain effective oversight of the exercise of the executive authority in a manner that is fair, and if needed, robust. I would like to believe that his portfolio committee should function on the basis of what is in the best interest of our country, continent and the world, and that all political parties represented in this committee will use this as a point of departure.
In the limited time available to me, I want to focus on two of the four strategic priorities of the department, namely, the strengthening of North- South Co-operation and the strengthening of economic relations. The ANC 52nd National Conference in Polokwane in December 2007 called for the intensification of economic diplomacy which should, amongst other issues, create possibilities for equitable and balanced North-South relations.
The 2009 Manifesto of the ANC states that economic and political co- operation with other countries can improve the lives of our own people, and that we are going to continue working towards a better life for all, a better Africa and a better world, without hunger, disease, conflict and underdevelopment. This is the bedrock of our international relations policy.
It is important that our government should continue to strengthen bilateral relations with the developed North during this term of Parliament by continuing to engage with the G8 and the G5 outreach programmes to promote the African agenda, which the Minister has highlighted, and by contributing to the development of a more equitable system of global governance.
As we all know, this needs to be done against the background of a world economy in crisis, mainly a crisis of the developed world caused by loose credit extension and a rise in debt of households and governments alike, which have become unsustainable.
In a globally interconnected world, national and international leadership will be tested. Central in this scenario would be common principles of reform and a co-ordinated international approach to the financial sector. In this regard, our government must continue with the promotion of the agendas of Africa and of the South, and emphasise the importance of multilateralism in global governance.
The prioritisation of Africa on the agenda of the EU, G8, the Commonwealth and other organisations of the North is, and remains, a key objective.
In this regard, there are at least five North-South partnerships which are of high importance where we should be promoting the African agenda. The first is our engagement with the G8, where the aim is to strengthen G8 relations with Africa. These engagements will be successful if political commitments by the developed countries relate to measurable projects on the African continent.
The second important partnership is the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, Ticad. It provides a platform for African countries to interact with one another and the international community to find African solutions to African problems. Ticad is based on three pillars, namely the consolidation of peace, human-centred development and poverty reduction through economic growth. Again, the final test will be the implementation of a plan of action.
The third strategic partnership is between Africa and the EU, where the focus should be on the implementation of priority actions outlined in the plan of action. The EU remains South Africa's largest single trading partner and the main source of foreign direct investment. A key priority will be the implementation of the joint action plan of the SA-EU Strategic Partnership, which was established two years ago.
The fourth partnership is with the UN, where the UN should ensure that Africa continues to remain on the global development agenda, pursuing Nepad objectives. The challenge will be to overcome the co-ordination problems. The continuous search for finding solutions to the current global financial and economic crisis, which also affected developing countries, should not be limited to the G20, but should be discussed by the General Assembly where all 192 countries can participate.
The final partnership is between the UN and the AU, with special emphasis on peace and security on the continent. A case in point is the joint UN-AU peace operation currently in Darfur in the Sudan, Unamid. It is important that our government ensures that the above-mentioned partnerships convert political commitments made by the developed North to Africa, into measurable projects on our continent.
The second pillar of our strategic priorities is the strengthening of our political and economic relations with the developed North. North America has been one of the largest foreign investors in the South African economy since 1994, with strong support for Nepad initiatives and the implementation of infrastructure development projects. These relationships and investments should continually be strengthened.
Europe remains a strategic partner for South Africa. The Eastern Europe region possesses strategic minerals that are of vital importance to the economy of South Africa, and therefore our economic ties with this region should be expanded.
The seven Central European countries forming the EU is a key strategic partner for South Africa, and therefore we should not only maintain, but also strengthen, the existing political and economic relations with that region. Western Europe consists of the EU, members of the G8 and the G5, and it requires that multilateral and bilateral interaction at all levels should be enhanced.
Western European countries remain key trade and investment partners of South Africa, as well as providing major sources of tourism in South Africa. As a developed region, Western Europe is a crucial partner for South Africa to achieve success.
North-South co-operation and the strengthening of political and economic relationships with the North provide strategic opportunities. Let us use these opportunities effectively in promoting the African agenda! The ANC supports the Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]