Media remarks by His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma at the conclusion of the official talks of the State Visit and Inaugural South Africa-Tanzania BiNational Commission, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Your Excellency, President Magufuli,
Honourable Ministers,
Thank you for inviting me to visit this beautiful country, Tanzania, a country we hold in very high regard because of its sterling contribution to the liberation of many countries in our continent, including our own.
Allow me to begin by extending our condolences on the tragic death of schoolchildren in a bus crash in Arusha.
We join the Tanzanian people in mourning this untimely and painful loss of our children.
Your Excellency,
This is an important visit for South Africa given that this year we are celebrating the legacy of Oliver Reginald Tambo. Tanzania played a central role in his life and that of the ANC.
The bonds of friendship and comradeship were forged when ANC leadership Comrades Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and Joe Matthews met in 1962 here in Dar es Salaam, to discuss support to the ANC including the armed struggle.
Tanzania became our wonderful and hospitable home for many decades thereafter, as we fought an evil apartheid regime that perpetuated crimes against humanity.
Importantly, many decisive moments in our country and key decisions which changed the course of the ANC our governing party, and our history for the better, were taken here in Tanzania.
This makes this country very important in the history of our country.
Your Excellency,
I fully concur with you on the outcome of our discussions. We reviewed our bilateral relations which are historical and fraternal in nature.
We have noted with satisfaction the growing bilateral cooperation between our two countries, particularly in defence and security, science and technology, arts and culture, environmental affairs, trade and investment, transport and energy to mention but a few.
We have agreed to pay a particular focus on economic cooperation by encouraging private sector investments, infrastructure development, agro-processing, beneficiation and joint venture projects.
Later this afternoon, we shall address the Business Forum and urge our businesspeople from both countries to take advantage of the strong historical relations and explore business opportunities.
We have used the occasion of this State Visit to inaugurate the Bi-national Commission between our two countries, at a Head of State and Government level, so that we can both personally supervise the growth of these relations.
The BNC will provide the required impetus to our relations by expanding the areas of cooperation to include the political, economic, security and cultural fields.
Added to this, we have directed our ministers and officials to finalise all outstanding agreements and memoranda of understanding.
Key in this regard is the need to implement all existing agreements. We are happy with the signing of the two memoranda of understanding that will take place today on transport and the environmental affairs areas.
We are also happy with the report of the Ministers which is comprehensive and time-bound.
We appreciate more the decision to hold regular consultations including annual mid-term review meetings. These will go a long way to forging a closer cooperation between our sister countries.
We have also correctly agreed to encourage people-to-people relations.
In this regard, we noted with satisfaction the current efforts in the implementation of the Arts and Culture Agreement particularly the African Liberation Route Programme which is aimed at documenting the independence and struggle of the liberation movements.
Tanzania under the leadership of our leader, Mwalimu Nyerere played a key role in the establishment and running of the Organisation of African Unity’s Liberation Committee and is indeed the home of our liberation history in Southern Africa.
South Africa was honoured to bestow one of our highest honours, the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo, on the late General Mbita recently, a great Tanzanian who was a long-serving and dedicated secretary general of OAU Liberation Committee.
Your Excellency,
We also exchanged views on the political and security developments in the region and the continent.
Tanzania continues to fight for peace in Africa, continuing her earlier contribution to decolonisation and the ending of apartheid colonialism.
We share the concern over the continued political and security challenges in some of our sister countries on the Continent.
We are happy to work with you as the biggest troop contributors to the UN force in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We have agreed to continue to work together within our regional bodies and the AU to resolve the ongoing peace and security crises.
We also strongly condemn in the strongest possible terms all forms of extremism and terrorism wherever they occur.
The successful implementation of Agenda 2063 will remain a dream if we do not resolve the security challenges facing the continent.
Your Excellency,
Let me thank you again for the successful deliberations and for the invitation and the hospitality extended to me and my delegation in our second home.
I thank you.
