Statement by the acting Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr David Mahlobo, MP, at the opening of the 5th Orinary Session of the Third Pan African Parliament (PAP), Midrand
His Excellency Hon Bethel n Amadi, President of PAP
His Excellency Hon Ben Said Mehdi, President of the Young African Parliamentarians
Hounorable Members of PAP Comrades and friends Ladies and gentlemen
Mr President
On behalf of President Zuma, the people of South Africa and the South African government, I wish to warmly welcome you to our country on the occasion of the 5th Session of the Third Parliament. I take this opportunity to warmly welcome you all to our country. President Keita of the Republic of Mali. Your Excellency, we are greatly
honoured by your visit to our country and we welcome you.
The Pan African Parliament meets for its 5th Ordinary Session of the 3rd Parliament at a very important time in the life of our continent. At a time when the African Union through the Assembly of Heads of State held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in May 2013, adopted a Solemn Declaration during the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of the Organisation of African Unity/African Union and agreed in their collective wisdom to adopt a Declaration
that sought to define the trajectory of our continent for the next fifty years, Vision 2063.
In adopting this Declaration, the Heads of State and Government, while acknowledging past successes and challenges, rededicated themselves to the continent’s accelerated development and technological progress. They pledged their commitment to making progress in the following eight key aspirations, namely:
African Identity and Renaissance: Accelerate the African Renaissance through integrating principles of Pan Africanism in all policies anchored in our belief in common destiny and shared values.
Continue the struggle against colonialism and the right to self-determination of people still under colonial rule.
The Integration Agenda: Implement the Continental Free Trade Area to ultimately establish a united and integrated Africa.
Agenda for Social and Economic Development: Develop Africa’s human capital as the continent’s most important resource; eradicate disease especially HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis; take ownership of use and develop natural resources, and make development responsive to the needs of the people.
Peace and Security Agenda: Eradicate recurrent conflicts through addressing the root causes of these conflicts.
Democratic Governance: Anchor African societies, governments and institutions on respect for the rule of law, human rights and dignity, popular participation and democratic governance.
Determining Africa’s Destiny: Determine Africa’s Destiny through taking ownership of African issues and providing African solutions to African problems; and
Africa’s Place in the World: Continue the global struggle against all forms of racism, discrimination, and expressing solidarity with oppressed countries and peoples.
As the South African government and people we have taken the process of defining the kind of Africa we should have to our people. In this regard, we have held robust consultations with organised formations of our society. We have met with women groups, think-tanks and academia, Civil Society and soon will be meeting with business and the Judiciary and indeed our Parliament. We are encouraged by the vast opportunities this period presents. It allows us as a continent the opportunity to take stock of the 50 years since independence in the 1960s and our achievements, and indeed an envious opportunity to prepare for the next fifty years. We should not be found wanting. Africa must be more prepared in the next 50 years, and that the best way to be well prepared, is by anticipating and planning well ahead.
This is what Agenda 2063 is all about. It is about Africans thinking together about where Africa should be in the next 50 years; that the Africa of the year 2063 must be a united and better place, fully developed, democratic, and without wars.
The Pan African Parliament is well positioned for the advancement of the African Agenda. With its broad mandate of a very important partner in this regard. Its broad mandate of discussing and expressing an opinion on any matter, either on its own initiative or at the request of the Assembly or other policy organs and make any recommendations it may deem fit relating to, inter alia, matters pertaining to respect of human rights, the consolidation of democratic institutions and the culture of democracy, as well as the promotion of good governance and the rule of law makes the Pan African Parliament a perfect advocate for the renaissance of the continent.
As South Africa therefore, we remain resolute that Africa will have a specific Agenda that will detail a set of Aspirations to be attained in the next 50 years. At a domestic front, Mr President, we have in the past few years developed a National Development Plan. Our National plan, popularly referred to as the NDP seeks amongst others to chart a new path for our country whilst seeking by 2030 to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality. Through the NDP, we seek a country wherein all citizens have the capabilities to grasp the ever-broadening opportunities available. Our plan is to change the lives of millions of our people, especially the youth, women and the poor whose life chances remain stunted by our sad and apartheid past.
Mr President, this is no different to what our continent, endowed with resources seeks to achieve. In this regard let all AU member states to heed the call by our Heads of States and bring on board African people and develop an African Agenda.
South Africa remains committed to support the work of the Pan African Parliament. In this regard, we have followed with keen interests the fact-finding undertaken by the PAP- in pursuance of its work - to strife–torn regions of our continent that the Pan African Parliament has undertaken. In the past, we have noted your fact-finding missions to Mali, Sudan and South Sudan. We have been encouraged by the positive impact these have on the countries concerned and indeed on the work of the PAP. As member-states to the AU, we welcome these missions and urge the various sub-committees of the Pan African Parliament to undertake more of these and advise the Assembly of Head of States accordingly.
Mr President, on behalf of President Zuma and indeed the people of South Africa, I wish the Pan African Parliament a successful 5th Session of the 3rd parliament. It is our fervent hope that the debates in this house will be geared towards achieving better life of our people. We believe that no topic will be too sacrosanct, if it affects our people adversely it should be discussed. You meet at a time when our brothers, sisters and African children are being ravaged by the deadly Ebola disease. We should declare war against Ebola. Let us share strategies and resources to deal with this outbreak. African governments must partner together and indeed with the rest of the world in finding a cure. If ever there was once a time to find “African Solutions to African” problems, it is now.
Thank you
