Remarks by H.E. Ms Nonceba Mhlauli, Deputy Minister in The Presidency, on the occasion of Statehood Day (National Day) celebrated on 15 February in Serbia
Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Serbia to the Republic of South Africa, Mr Goran Gvozdenovic, thank you for having us here today:
- To what I understand will be your final time hosting a National Day event in South Africa, as your tour of duty unfortunately reaches its conclusion.
- I wish you all the best with your endeavours going forward. Please know that you have served your nation and people proudly.
Your Excellency, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps (if present),
Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Heads of International Organisations, Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon!
I am honoured and happy that we got the opportunity to meet again with our Serbian hosts and colleagues and to stand before you today on behalf of the people and government of South Africa. It is my distinct privilege to convey warm greetings and congratulations.
This afternoon marks a significant occasion and milestone in the history of the Republic of Serbia, as it celebrates two hundred and twenty-one (221) years of statehood. There is no doubt in our minds that South Africa values its bilateral relations with Serbia and the Serbian people.
Official diplomatic relations between South Africa and Serbia were established on 2 April 1992. Both countries share common interests and support in various multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
I would like to acknowledge that we need to work on enhancing exchanges of high-level visits to strengthen political consultations and exchange views on various issues. The last high-level engagement between the respective Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation/Foreign Affairs of South Africa and Serbia took place in 2011, when Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane visited the Republic of Serbia to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Conference in Belgrade. During this visit, Minister Nkoana-Mashabane met with the Serbian Foreign Minister, Mr Vuk Jeremić, on the sidelines of the conference.
In 2012, Ministers Nkoana-Mashabane and Jeremić met on two separate occasions on the sidelines of multilateral conferences:
- January 2012 at the AU Summit in Addis Ababa
- May 2012 at a NAM meeting in Egypt
This was followed by the visit of the Deputy Minister of DIRCO, Mr Alvin Botes, who met with the Serbian Foreign Minister at the time, Mr Nikola Selaković, during a Business Forum Meeting in Belgrade as part of the 60th NAM Anniversary Meeting in October 2021.
I must commend Your Excellency, Chargé d’Affaires Mr Goran Gvozdenovic, for your efforts in strengthening these relations and continuing to identify areas for cooperation between South Africa and Serbia. We are aware of the challenges posed to both of our countries, both internally and externally, and we appreciate your concerted efforts in bettering our relations.
Nonetheless, we remain steadfast in our commitment to strengthening our relations by exploring different opportunities and avenues of engagement, even through virtual means. Through these engagements, we hope to broaden the conversation to include the business sector to expand economic relations and opportunities for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Education and scholarships
Serbia regularly makes scholarships available for South African students to study at its tertiary institutions through its NAM World in Serbia Project.
- For the 2024/25 academic year, South Africa (through the DHET) was again invited to nominate candidates for the World in Serbia Scholarships.
- Five (5) students were nominated, of which three (3) were successfully awarded the scholarship.
- They will commence their studies in March 2025, having recently completed their compulsory Serbian language training programme.
This relationship has grown significantly since the first South African students were accepted into this programme.
As His Excellency, President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa recently highlighted in his State of the Nation Address, there was a reason to celebrate—South Africa recorded its highest matric pass rate of 87%, and the government is stepping up efforts to improve early childhood learning, TVET colleges, and university access. This means:
- More funding for students
- Better skills training
- A smoother transition from school to employment
These scholarships, therefore, are invaluable for South Africa.
Economic growth and bilateral relations
This engagement could not have come at a better time. As South African officials, we have a huge responsibility on our shoulders: addressing South Africa’s economic growth in order to tackle the current socio-economic challenges facing our government and the people, such as:
- High youth unemployment rates
- Poverty
Through interactions of this nature and others, we are increasing our bilateral relations and seeking mutually inclusive, creative solutions to some of these challenges.
We look forward to exploring other sectors of cooperation that will contribute to both our economies, including:
- Tourism
- Agriculture
We would therefore like to see the finalisation of outstanding legal instruments, as these are critical tools in achieving these goals.
Trade and economic relations
- Trade and economic relations need to be strengthened.
- Regular political consultations will assist both countries in building partnerships that enhance political and economic relations.
- Efforts are being made by Trade and Industry officials from both countries to revive a platform for collaboration, explore mutually beneficial trade opportunities, and lay the groundwork for future partnerships.
The task that faces us going forward is to ensure that we make tangible progress in advancing this cooperation between our two countries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is my sincere wish that we continue to maintain engagement between our two countries in our quest to strengthen our relations now and in the future.
Your Excellency, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Please join me in raising our glasses in a toast to the Government and People of the Republic of Serbia on this momentous occasion of Statehood Day.
May your journey continue to be long and prosperous! Cheers!
I thank you.
For enquiries:
Foster Mohale
Departmental Spokesperson
National Health Department
Cell: 072 432 3792
E-mail: Foster.mohale@health.gov.za
#GovZAupdates #ServiceDeliveryZA
