the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Jamaica, Pretoria
6 August 2007
Your Excellency, Acting High Commissioner Thomas,
Deputy Minister Jacobus
Your Excellencies Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Members of the diplomatic community,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen
I feel honoured and privileged to represent the Government and the people of
South Africa on this important occasion in celebration of the 45th anniversary
of the Independence of Jamaica.
Acting High Commissioner Thomas, as this is the first opportunity that I
have had to celebrate this Independence Day with you since your arrival in
South Africa last year, may I wish you personally, a very happy celebration and
a fruitful stay in our country.
South Africa and Jamaica enjoy cordial relations. Jamaica was a staunch
supporter of the anti-apartheid struggle and continues to be a valuable friend
and ally, both bilaterally and in the multilateral sphere. The historical and
cultural ties between Africa and the countries of the Caribbean and our common
challenges and experiences of slavery, colonialism and subjugation have bonded
us on many levels.
On the occasion of the Diaspora South Africa-Africa Union-Caribbean Diaspora
Conference, Kingston, Jamaica, 17 March 2005, Minister Dlamini Zuma reflected
on our relations thus:
"We have come together to affirm our identity as one people, because of our
common origins. With Africa not only as our place of common origins, but also
widely regarded as the Cradle of Humankind, today we can all say with
conviction that African blood flows through our veins.
Some of us have come from the long African coastline from where our people
were captured forcefully shipped off in chains to the Caribbean Islands. We are
gathered here to pay homage to the many who fought for freedom, the heroes and
heroines who with determination, tenacity and unwavering courage cast this
inhumane system of slavery into the dustbins of history.
The commonality of our shared roots comes through even in our national
mottos, the Jamaican being 'Out of Many One People,' our being 'Unity in
Diversity.' As developing countries, South Africa and Jamaica share a number of
common challenges and interests, principal of which is the advancement of the
socio-economic development of our countries and citizens. Together with our
cultural heritage, this forms the basis of our relations, both at a
government-to-government and people-to-people levels.
Over the past thirteen years, the bilateral relations between South African
and Jamaica witnessed remarkable growth and it is perhaps appropriate to
reflect on these. South Africa established non-resident diplomatic relations
with Jamaica in September 1994. A decision to open a diplomatic Mission in
Jamaica was taken in 1998, which resulted in the first Resident Mission opening
in Kingston, in October 2000.
A further demonstration of our growing bilateral relations was President
Mbeki's state visit to Jamaica in 2003, which included his attendance of the
Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) Heads of State Summit.
President Mbeki's address to CARICOM was the second time South Africa's Head of
State addresses CARICOM, with President Nelson Mandela having addressed that
meeting in 1998.
Beyond these visits at Heads of State level, there have been several by
Ministers and high ranking government officials to further seek opportunities
for collaboration between our countries. In this regard, the visit by Ministers
in the Presidency and Sport and Recreation, during the semi-finals of the
Cricket World Cup 2007, was another significant step in our growing bilateral
interactions. During this crucial event in the Caribbean, the South African
Government's support and assistance to ensure the security and safety of the
people, participants and visitors to the region was significant.
Bilateral relations have received a further boost with the establishment of
the first ever Jamaican High Commission in South Africa in 2006. We trust that
this will significantly increase our interactions at people-to-people level as
well as promote co-operation in areas of trade and tourism, amongst others.
There are currently a number of agreements under negotiations. These include
a Draft Agreement on Scientific and Technical Co-operation and the Agreement on
Co-operation in the fields of Arts and Culture.
As members of the African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP), Commonwealth, Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM) and the G77, South Africa and Jamaica have collaborated closely
in pursuing South-South co-operation. In an effort to enhance dialogue and
establish sustainable partnerships between Africa and its Diaspora, a Regional
Caribbean Diaspora Consultative Conference will take place later this month.
The Conference is a follow-up to the SA, African Union (AU), Caribbean Diaspora
Conference held in Kingston in March 2005, which, amongst other objectives,
called for the creation of a concrete mechanism for the institutionalisation of
relations between the two bodies.
Excellency, it is our wish that the relations between our two countries will
prosper and grow even further in future and in this regard, South Africa is
looking forward to continue working closely with the High Commission of Jamaica
in Pretoria.
In take this opportunity on behalf of the Government and people of South
Africa, I wish the People of the Republic of Jamaica a happy Independence Day,
and to reaffirm that this day is not only of historical significance to Jamaica
but also to the history of humankind. I will also take this opportunity to wish
the Government and People of Jamaica all the best in the coming general
elections to be held on 27 August 2007.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
8 August 2007
