Your Excellency Ambassador Toshiro Ozawa
The Diplomatic Community
Honourable Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
We are almost at the end of a very remarkable year for both South Africa and Japan. South Africa and indeed the world, has learnt a lot from the Japanese people in terms of grace and perseverance in the face of grave destruction and massive loss of lives following the March 2011 triple disaster. South Africa will continue to give Japan its unwavering support. South Africa was honoured to have dispatched Rescue SA to Japan as a token of our friendship and appreciation of Japan’s on-going efforts for the upliftment of the South African people.
Our relationship with Japan is an important pillar of our foreign engagements. This has been exemplified by the elevation of bilateral relations to the level of Strategic Cooperative Partnership in 2010. We all have to congratulate Japan for its excellent hosting of the 11th Session of the SA-Japan Strategic Partnership, which reaped successful outcomes. During the visit, the two Foreign Ministers signed the Technical Co-operation Agreement, a tool which encompasses our mutual effort to the advancement of skills and training of our people. As part of the Centennial of official relations between South Africa and Japan, Japan donated 20 Cherry Blossom to DIRCO and in total 100 Cherry blossom Trees were planted in South Africa.
Your Excellency
I am pleased that our relations cover a wide and broad spectrum of areas, we have impressive trade and investment figures, in fact, Japan is South Africa’s third –largest trading partner in the world. Japan’s profile as the world’s 3rd largest economy, high technology, renewable energy and energy-efficient country, makes it an attractive partner for South Africa as we go forward with Government’s infrastructure programme and the roll-out of the Industrial Policy Action Plan 2 and the New Growth Path (NGP).
In line with South Africa’s National priorities, the National Planning Commission released Vision 2030, which aims to reduce the country’s high unemployment rate to 14% in 2030 by growing the economy annually by around 5%. It is envisaged this will be achieved through job creation, fighting corruption, health care and education to build a capable state and unite the country.
It is important to mention that Japan has pledged to introduce mobile libraries in our rural schools, which will benefit 2 million pupils by 2015. South Africa faces many challenges in the area of human resource development and education, which is compounded by the high levels of poor performance in schools. Education is one of our key Government Priorities and Japan’s efforts and contributions reflect a true commitment to the sustainable development of South Africa.
Furthermore, high-level engagements between our countries have seen significant improvement, involving Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentarians, business and scholars. During the SA-Japan Partnership Forum, Her Excellency Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane announced that President Jacob Zuma would pay an official visit to Japan at a date to be determined through diplomatic channels. Speaker Sisulu has just concluded a very successful visit to Japan. His visit definitely further consolidated and expanded bilateral relations between the two countries.
We also welcome the role of the investor and business community in Japan that has contributed to the economic development and job creation in our country. In 2010, Japanese companies invested R28 billion in the South African economy. Over the years, the number of Japanese companies in South Africa has increased to 103, creating more than 200, 000 jobs. During the first quarter of 2012, SADC Ambassadors in Tokyo would be hosting the SADC Infrastructure Development Investment Seminar.
I would like to urge the Japanese Business Federation to participate en masse so that they could take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Sub-Saharan Africa. We are increasingly getting convinced that the strategic partnership with the Japanese Government and the Keidanren would help the African region to attain the much needed skills on the African Continent.
In January 2012, the ANC celebrates its 100th birthday. We are delighted that our President has extended an invitation to the Japanese Government to celebrate and recollect the efforts of the international community to eradicate the oppressive system of apartheid.
Your Excellency
We appreciate the assistance given to Africa through the (TICAD) Tokyo International Conference on African Development process, in the struggle against poverty, human security and the consolidation of peace and good governance. From 28 November to 09 December 2011, South Africa was again the focus of the world when we hosted thousands of people from across the globe for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17).
On 08-11 November 2011, the 6th SA-Japan Business Forum took place during which the Japanese Business Federation (the Keidanren) expressed its readiness to transfer its world class energy saving technologies to the world. This is directly aligned to Africa’s goal to establish international partnerships for Africa’s green initiatives and ensure the necessary means of implementation.
Distinguished Guests
I wish to point out that Ambassador Ozawa has been an excellent representative of his country and his presence here has helped tremendously to strengthen bilateral relations between our countries.
Your Excellency and Distinguished Guests
In this spirit, I have the pleasure to request you to join me in a toast to the good health and prosperity of His Majesty the Emperor Akihito, and to friendship, trust, peace and prosperity between the peoples of South Africa and Japan.
To our enduring friendship!
I thank you.
The Occasion Of the National Day of Japan Draft Toast Remarks for the Deputy Minister of Police, H.E. Ms M Sotyu
13 December 2011
