United Kingdom Bilateral Forum, 23 - 24 May 2006
25 May 2006
List of participants:
South Africa
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Foreign Minister
Mosiua Lekota, Minister of Defence
Pallo Jordan, Minister of Arts and Culture
Mandisi Mphahlwa, Minister of Trade and Industry
Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister for Environment and Tourism
Enver Surty, Deputy Minister of Education
Gert Oosthuizen, Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation
United Kingdom
Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
(host)
Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development
Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Des Brown, Secretary of State for Defence
David Miliband, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs
Baroness Valerie Amos, Leader of the House of Lords
Stephen Timms, Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Lord David Triesman, Minister for Africa
Adam Ingram, Minister for the Armed Forces
Richard Cabom, Minister for Sport
Bill Rammell, Minister for Higher Education
David Lammy, Minister for Culture
Sir David King, Government Chief Scientist
Joint Communique of the Seventh Meeting of the South Africa-United Kingdom
Bilateral Forum 23-24 May 2006
1. The seventh meeting of the South Africa (SA) - United Kingdom (UK)
Bilateral Forum was held at Lancaster House London from 23 to 24 May 2006. This
year's theme was 'the UK and SA, building together on the 2005 Year of
Africa'.
2. Ministers celebrated the continued strength of the bilateral
relationship, based on shared progressive values and a practice of working
together, and stressed their intention to continue the partnership between the
UK and SA on regional and international issues. They recalled that the
successes of the Commission for Africa and the Group of Eight (G8) commitments
that followed were underpinned by close co-operation between the UK and SA's
leaders.
3. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to working together with the
African Union (AU), New Partners for Africaâs Development (NEPAD) and others to
ensure delivery on the promises made in 2005. Ministers reconfirmed their
support for ensuring that the Africa partnership Forum is an effective
international mechanism for monitoring, reporting and reviewing progress
against commitments by Africa and its international partners.
4. The South African side briefed their UK counterparts on the Accelerated
and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA) that was launched by
President Mbeki in February to speed up growth and halve poverty and
unemployment by 2015. Through AsgiSA, efforts are being intensified to ensure
that South Africa's political freedom also translates into a growing economy
that improves the standard of living and the quality of life of all South
Africans, especially of the poor. It was agreed that a special focus of the
work of the Forum and future SA-UK co-operation should be support for AsgiSA.
South Africa also reported on the undertakings made by the Joint Initiatives
for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA), which is tasked to identify urgent
skills needed and quick and effective solutions.
5. Ministers welcomed progress that had been made to implement G8
commitments, including the debt cancellation for 13 African countries by the
International Monetary Fund and the expected forthcoming cancellation of debts
of these countries by the World Bank International Development Association
(IDA) and the African Development Fund. They welcomed the establishment of an
Infrastructure Consortium for Africa, which will broker funding for five
African priority projects by June this year. Ministers also looked forward to
the launch of the Investment Climate Facility in June and the Africa Enterprise
Challenge Fund later in the year, both designed to boost private sector growth
in Africa.
6. The UK welcomed South Africa's announcement to contribute US$ 20m to the
International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm), which will support
efforts to tackle preventable diseases in the poorest countries in the world,
and is estimated to save 10 million lives, including 5 million children before
2015. The UK is providing 35% of the resources required to fund a $4 billion
IFFIm. South Africa and the UK, while welcoming the contributions to the Global
Fund to combat AIDS, TB and malaria, called for additional contributions to
support new projects.
7. The UK welcomed work within the AU and NEPAD to promote good governance,
noting that Ghana and Rwanda have completed performance reviews under the
African Peer Review Mechanism and that South Africa's review is underway.
8. In building a strategic partnership to take forward the G8 Gleneagles
summit, Ministers recognised that the nature of the development relationship
with South Africa would change. While focussing on ways to reduce poverty and
achieve the Millennium Development Goals in South Africa, it will increasingly
acknowledge the economic and political role of South Africa beyond its
borders.
9. On the bilateral front the UK is working with South African ministries to
determine future priorities for the programme, and in particular how it can
best support AsgiSA. The UK supports AsgiSA in its development assistance
programme, including through the Employment Promotion Programme; the
Consolidated municipal Transformation Programme; and work with the Department
of Public Enterprises to restructure Eskom and Transnet.
10. The European Commission is developing in partnership with South Africa a
Country Strategy, to which the UK will link its programme for the first time,
in line with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Paris declaration on 'aid
effectiveness'.
11. Ministers welcomed the launch of DFID's regional plan for Southern
Africa, which commits 20 million pounds each year for cross-border initiatives
to tackle poverty. They committed themselves to work together to implement the
plan. Minister announced two new partnership programmes coming under this
plan:
One-stop border posts: the UK will work with the Southern Africa Revenue
Service and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), to open
three one-stop border posts, between the borders of South Africa and Lesotho,
South Africa and Mozambique, and Zambia and Zimbabwe in the next three years.
The se will be the first one-stop border posts in Southern Africa and will
boost growth by reducing waiting time, allowing both small traders and larger
businesses to transport and sell their goods more quickly.
Regional Standards: the UK will work with South African supermarkets to help
vegetable farmers in the Southern African region to produce goods that meet the
supermarkets' quality standards, allowing them to source more goods form across
the region. Raising standards will also allow UK supermarkets to source more
produce from farmers in Southern Africa.
12. The UK reaffirmed its support for the African Union's own efforts to
maintain peace and security in Africa. This includes support for the AU's
mission in Sudan (and the UN's operation in Southern Sudan), an early warning
mechanism and an enhanced mediation capacity. Ministers Lekota and Brown agreed
that the Defence relationship between South Africa and the United Kingdom
remained important for the strategic interests of both countries. They recalled
continued co-operation in the defence equipment field, supported by an RAF
exchange of a Qualified Flying instructor and sea training by the Flag Officer
Sea Training team over a three-year period.
13. Ministers welcomed the signing of an agreement to extend the British
Peace Support Team in South Africa for a further three years. Through the team,
now well-established, Britain and South Africa are working together to improve
capability available within Southern Africa to conduct the Peace Support
Operations, complementing the AU's African Standby Force strategy. Ministers
welcomed the recent establishment of the South African National Peace Mission
Training Centre in Pretoria and the UK contribution of 2,3 million rand to this
process. Through the training centre South Africa will build its capacity and
develop its strategy for Peace Support Operations. The need for ongoing
commitment by the international community to post-conflict reconstruction in
countries such as the Democratic of Congo and Sudan was highlighted.
14. Senior trade officials agreed to work together to ensure an ambitious
pro-development outcome to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round. South
African officials offered to host an informal workshop between Southern Africa
Development Community (SADC) Member States and the EU on reviewing the EU/South
Africa Trade and Development Co-operation Agreement and how that might best be
aligned with the negotiations on an Economic Partnership Agreement between the
EU and SADC. This workshop would be held within three months. They welcomed the
bilateral discussions on Trade and Development of Prime Minister Blair and
President Mbeki and Secretary of State Darling and Trade Minister Mpahlwa.
15. Senior trade officials welcomed the confidence shown by British
companies, and investors more widely, in the South African economy. They were
pleased to note the increasing levels of bilateral trade as well and the
significant investments by Vodafone and Barclays Bank in South Africa last
year, reflecting positive investor sentiment in the country and an expectation
of market growth in the Sub-Sahara Africa region. They welcomed the concordance
of the South African Government's AsgiSA and UK Trade & Investment's (UKTI)
focus on supporting commercial engagement in a range of skills and capacity
development initiatives, agricultural technology and infrastructure (especially
transport). They encouraged further bilateral partnerships in science and
technology that co8uld lead to trade and investment in both countries. The two
sides agreed to develop a framework for joint engagement and guidance on Black
Economic Empowerment (BEE) for the benefit of potential investors. In the wider
context of sustainable economic development in Africa, the Ministers asked for
more to be done to focus the attention of the private sector on poverty and
reduction and other Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through more and better
trade officials, with a proposal to include private sector input, to monitor
progress and recommend action to increase co-operation in trade and
investment.
16. Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma briefed Foreign Secretary Beckett on her
work done in the International Working Group on Cote d'Ivoire. Ministers
expressed their support for the work of Prime Minister Banny, and reiterated
their belief that although much still had to be done, elections in October
remained the target.
17. Discussing the Great Lakes, the Ministers agreed that continuing peace
and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was critical for wider
peace and sustainable development in the region and continent as a whole. They
urged all Congolese parties to remain fully committed to and engaged in the
peace process. They hoped that parties to remain fully committed to and engaged
in the peace process. They hoped that parties would participate fully in the
elections of 30 July 2006 and refrain from statements or actions, which might
impact negatively upon the process. They urged all parties to ensure that all
key players and groups had a stake in the peace process. They urged all parties
to ensure that all key players and groups had a stake in the peace beyond
elections.
18. Foreign Secretary Beckett reaffirmed the UK's appreciation for South
Africa's commitment to development in DRC. The Ministers agreed that existing
UK/SA co-operation in the DRC should be built upon, and tasked officials to
discuss how to take forward co-operation between the UK and South Africa in the
DRC. A UK team will visit Pretoria shortly to identify further areas for joint
activity.
19. Ministers welcomed the signature of the Darfur peace agreement by the
Government of Sudan and Minni Minawi's faction of the Sudanese Liberation
Movement, and praised the African Union's role in mediating this. They noted
strong international support for the agreement, including form the Security
Council, as expressed in Security Council Resolution 1679 and urged those
parties who have not signed the peace agreement to do so by the African Union's
end of May deadline. They looked forward to the early implementation of the
AU's decision to affect the transition form AMIS to a UN peacekeeping
operation.
20. The Ministers discussed developments in Zimbabwe. They noted the
declining situation the country and agreed that no lasting solution to the
challenges that face Zimbabwe can be found, unless that solution is home-grown.
They recalled their belief in the need for systems of governance in which
people are truly able to determine their destiny. The UK reiterated its
position that were the necessary changes in the policies of the Government of
Zimbabwe to occur, the UK along with EU partners would be ready, like other
donors, to support the rebuilding of that country.
21. The UK also briefed the South African delegation on the E3 approach to
Iran.
22. The Foreign Ministers noted the proposal for the development of common
international standards for the trade in all conventional weapons and added
their support to calls from work on an Arms Trade Treaty to commence at the UN.
They agreed that the issue should be addressed at the UNGA First Committee
later this year.
23. Ministers agreed on the importance of tackling the illicit trade in and
transfer of nuclear material, equipment and technology and agreed to continue
co-operating closely in this important area.
24. Ministers also looked forward to the UN Conference to Review Progress
Made in the Implementation of the UN Programme of Action on small arms and
light weapons and a successful outcome that strengthened and reaffirmed the
full implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small arms and Light
Weapons. The Ministers noted the adoption in January 2006 of the Common African
Position on the Review process; also noted the AU Ministers' call upon the AU
Commission to take the necessary steps towards the establishment of a legally
binding instrument on the illicit trade in small arms in Africa and called upon
other regions to develop legally binding instruments in this field. Ministers
noted ongoing work through regional, sub regional and national processes
towards the establishment of global guidelines governing transfers of small
arms and light weapons through relevant regional approaches.
25. Senior officials agreed the importance for effective migration
strategies, to strike the right balance between the economic and social needs
of the travelling public, and increased security efforts world wide. Managed
migration was a positive benefit. Illegal migration benefited neither South
Africa nor the UK. The UK agreed to keep South Africa fully informed of its new
Points-Based migration system as it developed. Both the UK and South Africa
agreed to counter illegal migration through increased operational co-operation,
for example, by targeting those with false documentation, their facilitators,
and those involved in the evil trade of people trafficking. The UK and SA also
agreed to exchange information and assistance with passport, document issuing
and asylum processes. The UK welcomed South Africa's decision to build its own
Airline Liaison Officer Network and offered assistance with this initiative. UK
officials explained their increased requirements for functioning removal
procedures and expressed the hope that this could be discussed shortly at
official and Ministerial level. Officials agreed the benefits of shared best
practice principles and exchange programme to further enhance understanding and
to strengthen the UK/South African Migration Partnership.
26. Ministers discussed the programmes underway to improve links between
British and South African universities and colleges. They welcomed the recent
joint announcement by Chancellor Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn, Secretary of
State for International Development that the UK will spend at least $15 billion
on aid to education over the next seven years. They also welcomed DFID's 15
million pounds Development Partnerships in Higher Education Scheme (DELPHE),
which will forster links between universities in different developing
countries, as well as links with the developed world over the next seven years.
Ministers also welcomed the recent announcement by Chancellor Gordon Brown that
1 Million pounds will be available specifically for partnerships between higher
education institutions in England and South Africa over the next two years.
They welcomed the additional 2 million pounds that DfES is providing for higher
education partnership s between England and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, and
discussed proposal for a scheme too allocate these resources to partnerships
with the aim of supporting capacity building in African higher education. The
DfES-funded Africa Unit at the Association of Commonwealth Universities will
play a key role in facilitating and promoting these partnerships. The
centrality of co-ordination and prioritising programmes was emphasised. They
reaffirmed the importance of vocational training, and agreed to continue policy
dialogue on this issue. The Ministers discussed assessment, monitoring and
evaluation models of the school systems. A UK Education Minister was invited to
participate in the 16CCEM Conference in Cape Town in December 2006.
27. Minister Maliband and van Schalkwyk tasked officials to prepare the
ground for a formal UK-South Africa High Level Dialogue on Sustainable
Development. The Dialogue will provide a platform for enhanced
cross-governmental partnership on a range of sustainable development issues to
accelerate implementation of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (2002),
and mutual learning and practical collaboration. Work under the Sustainable
Development Dialogue will initially focus on climate change and co-operation on
the strategic approach to international chemicals management and be taken
forward by working groups as appropriate. The Working Group on Climate Change
will enhance policy dialogue on key climate-related issues, take forward joint
activities to address climate change, and feed into relevant processes. This
will include, in particular, implementation of activities relevant to the
Gleneagles Dialogue and Plan of Action; adaptation to the adverse impacts of
climate change; capacity building; scientific and technological collaboration;
economic modelling and long term scenario planning; and support for South-South
co-operation. Modalities for working groups will be elaborated in due
course.
28. Science and Technology officials noted that the bilateral relationship
has been revived through successful visits to South Africa by Sir David King,
the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister, and Professor Gordon
Conway, the Chief Scientific Adviser to DFID. They underlined the significant
success of these engagements in cementing the relationship between the
Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Office of Science and
Innovation (OST) and DFID. The UK expressed its interest in South Africa's role
in climate change and energy technologies; biodiversity; biotechnology for the
development of new crops; science and technology capacity building for African
development; and the use and mediation of South African expert science and
technology services to support common development objectives. The officials
recalled the further areas of potential co-operation highlighted at South
Africa Day in January 2006, hosted by the Royal Society under the OST/DST
Networking Scheme, and engaging researchers, funders and policy makers in the
UK and SA. Workshops were held in Astronomy, Biotechnology, Energy and Climate
Change and Advanced Manufacturing. Officials reaffirmed that many of these
areas will be taken forward under the OST/DST Networking Scheme, a bilaterally
funded initiative designed to bring together excellent scientists to explore
collaborative opportunities in areas of mutual interest and benefit. This
scheme has just been renewed for a further three years.
29. Ministers heard a report of the meeting of Ministers for Health Rosie
Winterton and Minister Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, which had taken place on
23 May in the margins of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. They discussed
the ongoing positive outcomes from the 2003 SA-UK Memorandum of Understanding
on the Reciprocal Exchange of Healthcare concepts and personnel. Improved
communication and the sharing of skills and expertise are evident in both
formal seminars (involving the UK's Health Protection Agency and National
Institute for Clinical Excellence and the SA Department of Health and
associated agencies) and informal contact building. Time-limited placements of
British and South African health professionals in each other's countries are
progressing steadily. Over the period of the MOU, active recruitment of health
personnel has been minimised and there has been a significant reduction in the
numbers of South African nurses registering in the UK. The Ministers agreed to
continue with the current exchange of information, with a seminar planned on
'Human Resources for Health: Improving Working Lives' later in 2006 and a
Nursing Summit in early 2007. They also agreed to formalise the exchange of
information between both Health Departments and their agencies regarding
preparations for a possible outbreak of Avian and Human Influenza Pandemic.
30. Sports Minister Caborn and Deputy Minister Oosthuizen agreed to continue
work to work together in the field of sports co-operation, and welcomed the
outcomes of the South African High Commission's sports conference in London on
11 and 12 May, which took this co-operation forward. The Ministers also
acknowledged that both countries would be able to learn from their respective
preparations for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and 2012 Olympic Games and
Paralympic Games. The Ministers reviewed and updated the bilateral Protocol of
Action on Sport; agreed on a strategic arrangement for co-ordinating UK
sporting initiatives in South Africa; agreed to take forward plans for a
scholarship scheme for black South African cricketers to play and be coached by
league teams in the UK; and announced a swimming coaching exchange.
31. Minister David Lammy and Pallo Jordan discussed the burgeoning cultural
links between South Africa and the UK. They are delighted to have signed the
bilateral film co-production treaty which would facilitate co-operation between
our respective producers, and they agreed to continue staff exchanges between
libraries and museums. They looked forward to the commencement of the curator
training scheme which will see 10 South African museum curators and a librarian
starting placements across England from July 2006.
32. Ministers Lammy and Jordan identified several further areas of mutual
interest during the discussions. These included developing exchanges between
museums and galleries; developing links between publishers and writers in South
Africa and the UK; facilitating contacts between the organisers of cultural
programmes for events such as the Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002 and
Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 and the organisers of South Africa
World Cup 2010; inviting further co-operation between the British Council in
South Africa and Visiting Arts in the UK to encourage mutual recognition of
cultures in the two countries.
33. Ministers agreed to meet again for a Bilateral Forum in 2007.
Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
25 May 2006
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (www.dfa.gov.za)
