Minister of Transport in South Africa, Honourable Dipuo Peters on the occasion of the signing of the Memoranda of Understanding on transport related matters and on the development of Glo-Djigbe between South Africa and Benin
Honourable Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Gustave Sounon,
South African Ambassador to Benin, His Excellency Ambassador Gwadiso CEO of ACSA,
Mr Bongane Maseko CEO of SACAA,
Mrs Poppy Khoza CEO of ATNS,
Mr Thabane Mthiyane Bonjour Mesdames et Messiers,
Good morning.
His Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, please receive warm greetings from His Excellency, President of the Republic of South Africa, President Jacob Zuma. We are gathered here today, 3rd July 2015, in Benin on this august occasion to sign two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between South Africa and Benin, one on Transport Related Matters and the other on the Development of Glo-Djigbe Airport.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Today’s gathering is as a result of years of mutual socio-political cooperation between South Africa and Benin with formal diplomatic relations dating as far back as 19 May 1994. South Africa, led by the African National Congress (ANC) government in its pursuance of a democratic South Africa, promotes regional and international cooperation.
The development and prosperity of Africa remains the central objective of the ANC led government’s international perspective and policy for purposes of advancing the African Renaissance. Ladies and Gentlemen, His Excellency, the president of Benin, Dr Boni Yayi paid a state visit to SA in 2011, where he and President Zuma held substantive and fruitful discussions on a wide range of issues of common interest across bilateral, regional and international spectrum.
The two Presidents assessed the relationship between the countries and agreed on ways to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two sister countries. In the transport sector, the two delegations agreed to pursue further negotiations and conclusion of a number of sectoral agreements, one of which was the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) as well as a comprehensive Agreement on Transport Related Matters.
This was followed by a decision to negotiate a separate agreement which will deal only with the development of Glo-djigbe International Airport. Furthermore, there were a number of issues raised by our counterparts from here in Benin, which included cooperation in infrastructure related projects and services (land, air and sea), industry development, technology transfer, capacity building, exchange of information, technological expertise, joint ventures between South African Companies and Transport Sector Companies in Benin.
In taking our discussions forward, the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) was signed by the then Minister of Transport (Minister Ndebele, MP) during President Zuma’s reciprocal visit to Benin in December 2011. The Beninois Aeronautic Authority gave their approval for South African Airways to fly the Johannesburg-Cotonou route. As part of the current and signed Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) South African Airways operates seven (7) flights per week and Interair operates two (2) flights.
In principle, the BASA between the two countries provides for multiple designations of airlines to operate this route. It is aligned to the provisions of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) in that it provides for 3rd, 4th and 5th Freedom Rights with unlimited Capacity and all forms of Code Share Framework. The Republic of Benin has not designated an airline for this route as yet.
Ladies and Gentlemen, On the ports development, South Africa and Benin are in the process of negotiating twinning arrangements between the Port of Nqghura and the Port of Cotonou. In terms of these arrangements, it is envisaged that Transnet Freight will assist with the improvements of capacity and efficiencies in the Port of Cotonou. An important aspect of this project is the provision of rail equipment that would assist with the movement of minerals from within Benin to the ports.
On the roads infrastructure, a delegation of senior experts from Benin visited and engaged with counterparts within the roads sector in South Africa and reported back that there is a need to improve standards for the development of roads infrastructure in Benin. South Africa, through the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), together with the Department of Public Works and the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) in South Africa, invited a delegation from Benin in order to expose the Beninois to the development standards in South Africa.
South Africa agreed to assist Benin to develop standards for roads infrastructure development, including the following:
- The development of roads infrastructure and funding;
- Spatial development initiatives;
- Standards;
- Policy, legislative and regulatory imperatives;
- Classification of roads;
- Combatting soil erosion;
- Pavement technologies;
- Building and roads construction;
- Materials and technologies;
- Law enforcement and road safety management
- Intelligent transport systems.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on the implementation of the decisions taken on the 10th December 2012 in Benin, the last of these meetings took place on the 14th – 18th of January 2013 where the two Ministers of Transport (Minister Dikobe Ben Martins and Minister Lambert Koty) met in order to oversee the implementation of the outcomes of the December meeting.
A draft programme was concluded as a response measure for the implementation of decisions taken in Benin. To this end, the South African Party mobilized its state owned agencies in order to respond adequately to the needs of Benin.
The Department of Transport and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) arranged meetings with the following funding institutions:
- The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA);
- The Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF);
- The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
The two parties agreed that the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) will play a technical role in advising the Government of Benin with regards to the size of and all other technical aspects for the development of the Glo-Djigbe International Airport in Benin. The project will also be delivered in phases in order to overcome the challenges related to funding.
Focal points from both South Africa (Department of Transport, ACSA, ATNS, SACAA and the funding institutions) together with representatives of the Government of Benin undertook to accelerate decision making processes required in order to ensure that the development of the project is given priority at the highest level.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Today we wlll be finalising the negotiations on the Agreement for Cooperation in Transport Related Matters. This agreement includes the role that will be played by the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) who will provide their technical expertise in the development of roads infrastructure projects.
Air Traffic Navigation Service (ATNS) of South Africa led by Mr Mthiyane, which will advance its technical skills on the air traffic navigation in the development of the Glo-Djigbe International Airport. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) led by Ms Poppy Khoza, is also expected to join ACSA and ATNS for cooperation with Benin in the Aviation Sector.
The delegation from Benin also met with Transnet Rail, which is a South African owned government freight entity, on the procurement of rolling stock, flatbeds and coaches from Transnet.
This agreement also includes the possibility to provide public passenger rail services for the people of Benin.
Ladies and Gentlemen, whilst all efforts have been finally fulfilled, let the years of hard work, sweat and determination pay off as we officially sign the agreement today. On the Development of the Glo-Djigbe Airport, which His Excellency President Boni Yayi expressed a desire to be completed within a period of three (3) years.
Senior officials from both Ministries met on 3-4 September 2014 to finalise the negotiations and agreed on the text of both MoUs. ACSA, led by Mr Maseko, confirmed that it has received an offer to fund a pre-feasibility study once the MoU with regards to Glo-Djigbe International Airport is signed.
This airport, as much as it is in Benin, it will provide an important gateway for the entire West African region and has to be supported with a strong road and rail infrastructure to optimize its true potential. Within this framework, we should realize the objectives of the Yamoussoukro Decision and establishment of a Single African Air Transport Market as espoused by the Africa Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and further endorsed by the Heads of State in the January summit. In conclusion, Today, more than other days, it feels good to be an African, as this is the beginning of good things between South Africa and Benin.
It feels good that I can stand here as a South African and as a foot soldier of a titanic African army, the African National Congress, and its government to say to Benin and her people, to the man and women who made an input into the processes we are concluding today, to our outstanding compatriots who have presided over the birth of our founding cooperation, to the negotiators who pitted their wits one against the other, to the unseen stars who shone unseen as the management and administration, the advisers and experts, to our friends, and to our Honourable Heads of State, Their Excellencies President Zuma and President Boni Yayi Congratulations and well done!
Thank you, Merci beaucoup!
