on the occasion of the official visit to Indonesia
24 April 2006
Your Excellency, Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla and Mrs Kalla;
Chairperson of the House of Representatives;
Mr Agung Laksono;
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers from both Governments;
Honourable Members of Parliament;
Senior Officials from both Governments;
Business Community Representatives;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen
Please allow me, on behalf of the South African Government, and its people
to thank Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla for the kind invitation to pay an
official visit to Indonesia. South Africa's relations with Indonesia date back
to the times when slavery was the order of the day.
This relationship has seen people being moved from country to country and
from continent to continent, which in our case resulted in people like Syekh
Yusuf being displaced from Makassar in Indonesia to settle in a place that is
today called Makassar next to Cape Town, in South Africa.
Some of you may recall that Vice President Kalla paid an historic visit to
South Africa last year where the South Africa Government recognised the
contributions and sacrifices made by Syekh Yusuf.
To honour this martyr, the OR Tambo award was posthumously bestowed at the
National Orders Award ceremony, which was held in Pretoria on 27 September. Not
only has the honour on Syekh Yusuf cemented the bond between South Africa and
Indonesia, it has also presented our two nations with opportunities that would
probably never have surfaced.
Our political relations took root in 1955 at the Asia Africa Conference in
Bandung when Indonesia provided a venue for the struggle of the South African
people against apartheid.
Bandung's main aim was to promote solidarity and co-operation among the
countries of Asia and Africa. However, what came out of the conference as
witnessed by the growing relations between our two nations is political
solidarity, economic and social cultural co-operation.
Given the historical ties between Indonesia and South Africa, it is quite
appropriate that as strategic partners and emerging economies representing
different parts of the "South", we should continue to play leading roles in
bringing our regions together to the mutual benefit of all our peoples.
Our countries have many issues that they are in agreement with at an
international terrain, and where we share common perspectives.
We agree for example on issues such as the need for a fair and equitable
distribution of the benefits of globalisation and on the importance of making
an impact on the lives of millions of people internationally who continue to
live in conditions of deprivation and poverty.
As members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), we both realise our
responsibilities in shaping a new and just world order. We, therefore, have to
work together as partners in promoting the ideals of South-South co-operation,
as well as to promote greater North-South Dialogue.
In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I would like once again, to sincerely
thank Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla and the Indonesia people for the kind
invitation bestowed on my delegation and I.
May the special friendship between our countries and the goodwill between
our people continue to blossom as we work towards achieving our shared vision
of creating a better world for all.
Please allow me, on behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa
to propose a toast on the excellent relations between Indonesia and South
Africa, as well as on the good health of Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla
and the people of Indonesia.
I thank you!
Issued by: The Presidency
24 April 2006
