A Ntsaluba: New Asian African Strategic Partnership Senior Officials
Meeting

1 September 2006

Honourable Minister ZST Skweyiya, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of
South Africa,
Dr Primo Alvi Joelianto, Co-Chair of the NAASP SOM and Head of the Indonesian
delegation,
Your excellencies, heads of delegation and delegates of the NAASP SOM,
Your excellency Dr Alzubedi, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps,
Your excellencies and members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Ladies and gentlemen,

As explained by Minister Skweyiya during his opening remarks, the 1955
conference led to the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement. It is our hope
that the new strategic partnership that we initiated last year will continue
the legacy and vision of our leaders of 1955 and will lead to even greater
achievements.

You will recall that during the Asia-Africa Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia in
April 2005, our Heads of State and government reiterated commitments aimed at
reinvigorating the "Spirit of Bandung" and paving the way for Asian-African
co-operation to prosper in the new millennium. They reaffirmed that the New
Asian African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) would ensure a collective effort to
improve the quality of the lives of our peoples. Poverty, disaster,
underdevelopment and disease would all be addressed under one all encompassing
framework. It therefore becomes crucial that our two continents closely
collaborate to ensure that political commitments translate into concrete
actions.

At the summit last year, it was decided that the first meeting of the NAASP
Senior Officials Meeting would be hosted by South Africa, as Co-Chair with
Indonesia, during 2006. At the very onset of our meeting, it would be useful
for us to chart our actions in line with the mandate of the NAASP SOM. In this
regard, the SOM has to:

* first, review progress and problems faced in the implementation of the
identified actions and activities from the Summit
* second, discuss problems and challenges within our respective countries and
regions
* third, determine the challenges and opportunities to be addressed in the
context of the Partnership and the related concrete actions and activities to
be carried out in this regard
* fourth, determine focal points to lead or co-ordinate the implementation of
such actions and activities
* fifth, plot the way forward
* sixth, formulate recommendations for the Ministerial meeting scheduled for
2007.

The purpose of the NAASP SOM would be to therefore consider the outcomes of
the Asian African Summit of 2005, to assess the progress in terms of the
implementation of NAASP, as well as to plot the way forward in terms of the
concrete issues that have since emerged.

As African and Asian countries, we face similar socio-economic and
development challenges in an unequal and fast globalising international world
order. We have a common destiny, a destiny that has been forged over the past
centuries together. In securing the future of this common destiny we have to
ensure the sustainable development of our regions and the attainment of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) so that we can fully and effectively
participate in the world economy and body politic. As countries of the South,
we are a force that the developed world has to take seriously in order to
attain a just and equitable world order to the benefit of all.

The success of assuming our rightful place in this new world order lies
within the three pillars of engagement identified under NAASP, namely political
solidarity, economic co-operation and socio-cultural collaboration. These core
pillars will ensure that the institutionalisation of democratic principles and
the practice of political, economic and corporate good governance are firmly
entrenched within our societies. We will ensure that co-ordinated approaches to
international relations are adopted so as to sustain international support for
Asian and African development issues. We will work together to eradicate
poverty and undertake trade, tourism and investment initiatives to better
integrate ourselves into the world economy. We will jointly fight the evils of
disease that ravage our continents and ensure that HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis,
malaria and other communicable diseases no longer impact upon our national
development agendas. Furthermore, we will also ensure that active engagement
with each other regarding human resource development, technical training,
capacity building and knowledge sharing takes place.

Regarding the areas of co-operation that I have just highlighted, we need to
actively move forward on constructive engagement between the two continents. It
is vital that we ensure that there is a coordinated and harmonised approach
between countries and institutions regarding the implementation of proposals,
projects and programmes as registered in the draft Joint Action Matrix prepared
for the SOM. Regular updating of the Matrix is crucial so as to ensure
continuity and to ensure practical and concrete progress in order to make this
initiative relevant to our people at grass roots level. Apart from national
governments, the role of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and continental
bodies in concretising the Matrix cannot be over emphasised. It is for this
reason that we have organised a side event for the Sub-Regional Organisations
of Africa and Asia to discuss their role in implementing the NAASP agenda.

Furthermore honourable delegates, you will recall that the government of the
Republic of Indonesia organised the Asian-African Workshop on the Role of Women
and Youth in Jakarta in April 2005. The workshop provided an opportunity for
participants to share experiences and reveal important best practices and
lessons learned at the country and regional levels. The status, role and
condition of women and youth as actors and beneficiaries of human-centred
sustainable development were promoted. The NAASP SOM intends taking this
process further with the holding of a women and youth side event. Discussions
should take our work further and ensure that the important role of women and
the youth is encapsulated within, and meaningfully contributes, to societal
development. This should take place despite obstacles encountered within the
context of Asian and African traditions, norms, cultures and values.

As regards the implementation of another important aspect of the NAASP
agenda, the "soft launch" of a NAASP website, database and virtual Secretariat
took place last week. The official launch shall take place during this meeting.
The website will hopefully assist delegates in terms of obtaining more
background and updated information on NAASP, current activities being
undertaken and on the way forward. The relevant website address will be
communicated to NAASP participants during the meeting. Participants will also
be requested at a later stage to provide South Africa as host of the website
with e-links to their most important institutions such as Ministries of Foreign
Affairs and Trade and Industry, as well as Chambers of Commerce.

A few weeks ago, the South African government informed all member countries
about the opportunity to provide inputs and comments relating to the NAASP. We
wish to take this opportunity to thank the Moroccan and Japanese governments
for preparing holistic inputs that we shall share with participants during the
course of the meeting.

In conclusion, I would like to state that through this Partnership, we shall
find ways to jointly address the current challenges that face our vast
continents. Our similarities will solidify relations. Our differences will
enable us to learn from each other. Either way, active implementation of the
New Asian African Strategic Partnership will be of mutual benefit, aimed at
improving the welfare of both Asians and Africans governed by relations based
on respect, trust and equality.

Once again, South Africa welcomes you to Durban and wishes you successful
deliberations.

Thank you.

The following comment is to be made by the Director General immediately
before the first country statement to be made in the plenary session (after the
lunch break)

Before we start the Plenary Session on country statements, I am sure that my
Co-Chair will agree that in the interests of time and fairness, all statements
will be strictly limited to seven (7) minutes per head of delegation.
Furthermore, statements should be limited to confirming or further clarifying
the status of "project and programme proposals" that were presented by the
Heads of State or government at the 2005 summit in Jakarta, and not necessarily
to make new statements. The focus of statements by delegates should therefore
be to promote the implementation of existing proposals and the allocation of
these projects and programme proposals to "champion" countries or institutions
as an outcome, in order to enhance "ownership" of New Asian African Strategic
Partnership (NAASP) initiatives by all.

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
1 September 2006