Mangena, at the Signing Ceremony of the Agreement between the Government of the
Hellenic Republic and the Government of the Republic of South Africa
30 October 2006
Your Excellency, Minister Dimitri Sioufas
Your Excellency, Ambassador Momberg
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
We are signing this Science and Technology agreement with Greece filled with
great anticipation as we recall the cultural, educational and scientific
co-operations particularly between ancient Egypt and Greece. Those early
transfers and subsequent exchanges of knowledge and expertise have contributed
significantly towards the development of the modern day world.
Your ancestors' contribution to law, philosophy, architecture, sculpture and
education is well documented and appreciated all over the world. The Greeks
have also bestowed on the world a very rich legacy upon which the foundations
of our democracies are premised. The works of Plato, Aristotle, and Pythagoras
have undoubtedly influenced the thinking and developments in modern day
politics, science and mathematics.
In like vein, I perceive this day to be another milestone in strengthening
the linkages that were established between the early pioneers in the fields of
science and technology. We certainly conceive the Science and Technology
Agreement between our countries as a critical instrument that will further
cement our ties.
Since 1994 when South Africa became a democracy, our government had set for
itself the important goal of being a noteworthy part of the global community.
To this end, we would like to cement good relations with like-minded countries
in our attempts to develop our country, and consolidate our democracy. We are
therefore very pleased and encouraged to work with you, given the important
role that Greece continues to play in the European Union (EU). We hope that
this agreement will further help to take our science and technology system to
another level, which will assist us in our quest to develop innovative
solutions that can impact positively on the development of our country and the
lives of our people.
Generally, the African continent is grappling with serious challenges of
poverty and underdevelopment. This situation is further aggravated by forces of
globalisation, which compel us to swim or sink. If we can swim, we will not be
able to remain afloat for long if our neighbours and region remain down under.
Global economies are economies of scale. They also depend on regular injections
of new knowledge and expertise.
Hence, we need to pull along our neighbours for the purpose of pooling
regional resources and capacities to sustainable levels. My officials are
working very closely with their regional and continental counterparts to place
science and technology at the centre of our developmental efforts. To fully
realise this goal, we have developed good relations and partnerships in the
context of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
South Africa, including the entire continent, does not want to be left
behind in the highly competitive global race whose pace is dictated by intense
innovativeness and knowledge generation. By formalising our joint efforts, we
hope to create an enabling environment for sharing of skills and exchange of
knowledge amongst key players in our science systems in order to maximise our
ability to respond to socio-economic challenges in our countries.
In order to create an enabling environment for scientific endeavours to
thrive, in 2002 we produced the national Research and Development Strategy,
which is the brainchild of the 1996 White Paper on Science and Technology.
Since then, we have developed other policies and frameworks to give effect to
the recommendations contained in the strategy. These include, among others, the
National Biotechnology Strategy, the Advanced Manufacturing Strategy, the
Nano-Technology Strategy; and the Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) Strategy is due to be finalised soon. We are hopeful that these
strategies and interventions will help position our science system in the right
direction.
We remain confident that through these policy interventions we will position
our National System of Innovation to attract more scientists of note to South
Africa, and to encourage more of our young people to enter and remain in
science and technology careers. In order to correct past imbalances, we need to
attract more women and Black researchers into our science system.
It remains a challenge for us to develop a critical mass of next generation
scientists that will be capable of holding their own among their international
peers. Human capital development is a central theme in our plans; hence we
expect the exchange programmes that will be taking place between Greece and
South Africa to also assist in this regard.
We are looking forward to concretising programmes and projects through which
interaction between our science communities in critical areas such as
Agriculture, Industry, Health, Information Technology, energy, and climate
change will be encouraged and promoted. A collaborative relationship of this
nature is expected to go a long way in helping us to deal with our domestic and
continental challenges and obligations.
I am equally hopeful that we will work together in various multilateral
forums to leverage opportunities for our respective science systems. I have
noted also the role and contribution that Greece continues to play at the EU
level, especially with regard to its Framework Programmes. We hope to explore
ways of enhancing our relationship to a comparable level.
Finally, I would like to thank all the officials and political
representatives who worked tirelessly to ensure the signing of this Agreement
becomes a success. In particular, I wish to express my gratitude to the Greek
Ministry of Development and the General Secretariat for Technology and
Research, our Embassy here in Greece, the Embassy of Greece in South Africa,
the South African Department of Foreign Affairs, and officials in my department
for making this meeting a resounding success it is.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
30 October 2006
Source: Department of Science and Technology (http://www.dst.gov.za)
