Your Excellency, President Armando Guebuza
Honourable Ministers from both Mozambique and South Africa
Your Excellencies, High Commissioners of Mozambique and South Africa
Senior Government officials
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is my singular honour to welcome you and your delegation to South Africa on the occasion of our annual Heads of State Economic Bilateral meeting. Remembering our shared history, it is always a great pleasure for us to interact with our friends and comrades from Mozambique. Days like this enjoin us to reminisce about our past. It was during that past that we vowed and committed ourselves to working together as we deal with our common challenges. These common challenges are our developmental needs. It was in recognition of this collective commitment that our two countries established the Heads of State Economic Bilateral Forum, as a Forum to strategically discuss the common challenges I am referring to.
Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen,
South Africa’s independence was inspired by the winds of independence and freedom which started blowing in Southern Africa with the historic independence of Mozambique. Mozambique’s independence was memorable and seminal as it did not only bring liberation to the citizens of that country but also ushered in a new sense of hope to the oppressed people in southern Africa. In recognition of the strong historical links between the peoples of Mozambique and South Africa in particular the fateful Matola Raid, our two countries are working together to construct a Monument with an interpretive centre in Matola. The Monument will not only be a remembrance of those who died during the raid but will also act as a testimony to the supreme price the people of Mozambique paid to help liberate South Africa.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We gather here this morning to review the work and progress of our bilateral cooperation. Our two countries have over the last decade used the Economic Bilateral Forum to consolidate bilateral economic cooperation and partnership. This has resulted in the exciting expansion of cooperation at various levels, including government, private sector and many other formations of civil society. Since the establishment of the Forum, our sister countries have entered into various sectoral Cooperation Agreements. I am informed that to date fifty-seven (57) agreements have been signed between our two countries; this makes Mozambique the number one country world-over with which South Africa has entered into so many agreements. This is reflective of our desire and determination to working together to tackle the common challenges our two countries face.
While appreciating this development, we however need to ensure the full implementation of these agreements for the mutual benefits of our peoples. Over the years, we have also witnessed a phenomenal economic cooperation between the two countries. As a consequence, South Africa is one of the largest investors in the economy of Mozambique. In this regard, Mozambique hosts the largest South African public and private sector investments on the continent. The bilateral trade has also grown tremendously. In 2008, for example, Mozambique was South Africa’s top trading partner on the continent, surpassing Zimbabwe which had hitherto been South Africa’s top trading partner on the continent, with natural gas imports by Sasol playing a significant role. For the past seven years, Mozambique has consistently maintained her position as one of South Africa’s top five trading partners.
Ladies and gentleman,
Our two countries will continue to do whatever they can to work in partnership. We have a duty, among other things, to strengthen our economic relations by enhancing cooperation among our business people and increase trade and investment between our countries.
We are happy with the progress achieved thus far in our bilateral cooperation, particularly in areas of trade and investment, energy, cross border transport and in tourism. In this regard, we recognise with satisfaction our cooperation in the Great Limpopo Transfonteir Park where Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe are working together.
Recognising that food security is one of the challenges we face and will continue to face us as a region. To this end, there is an urgent need for our two countries to re-double their efforts in the agricultural cooperation. We need to make food security the top priority.
Your Excellency, President Guebuza, ladies and gentlemen, let me take this opportunity to commend Mozambique’s mediation efforts in the complex Malagasy political dialogue. We salute former President Chissano for his determined efforts to assist the people of Madagascar to deal with their political challenges.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In conclusion, I wish to take this opportunity to thank Mozambique, SADC, the African Union and all those countries who have supported South Africa’s candidature for the non permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the period 2011/12. We can assure you that we will not fail you. We will do everything in our power to raise all the issues bedevilling humanity in particular the issues of peace and security.
Once more Mr President, I welcome you to South Africa and I am looking forward to our discussions.
I thank you.
Honourable Ministers from both Mozambique and South Africa
Your Excellencies, High Commissioners of Mozambique and South Africa
Senior Government officials
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is my singular honour to welcome you and your delegation to South Africa on the occasion of our annual Heads of State Economic Bilateral meeting. Remembering our shared history, it is always a great pleasure for us to interact with our friends and comrades from Mozambique. Days like this enjoin us to reminisce about our past. It was during that past that we vowed and committed ourselves to working together as we deal with our common challenges. These common challenges are our developmental needs. It was in recognition of this collective commitment that our two countries established the Heads of State Economic Bilateral Forum, as a Forum to strategically discuss the common challenges I am referring to.
Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen,
South Africa’s independence was inspired by the winds of independence and freedom which started blowing in Southern Africa with the historic independence of Mozambique. Mozambique’s independence was memorable and seminal as it did not only bring liberation to the citizens of that country but also ushered in a new sense of hope to the oppressed people in southern Africa. In recognition of the strong historical links between the peoples of Mozambique and South Africa in particular the fateful Matola Raid, our two countries are working together to construct a Monument with an interpretive centre in Matola. The Monument will not only be a remembrance of those who died during the raid but will also act as a testimony to the supreme price the people of Mozambique paid to help liberate South Africa.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We gather here this morning to review the work and progress of our bilateral cooperation. Our two countries have over the last decade used the Economic Bilateral Forum to consolidate bilateral economic cooperation and partnership. This has resulted in the exciting expansion of cooperation at various levels, including government, private sector and many other formations of civil society. Since the establishment of the Forum, our sister countries have entered into various sectoral Cooperation Agreements. I am informed that to date fifty-seven (57) agreements have been signed between our two countries; this makes Mozambique the number one country world-over with which South Africa has entered into so many agreements. This is reflective of our desire and determination to working together to tackle the common challenges our two countries face.
While appreciating this development, we however need to ensure the full implementation of these agreements for the mutual benefits of our peoples. Over the years, we have also witnessed a phenomenal economic cooperation between the two countries. As a consequence, South Africa is one of the largest investors in the economy of Mozambique. In this regard, Mozambique hosts the largest South African public and private sector investments on the continent. The bilateral trade has also grown tremendously. In 2008, for example, Mozambique was South Africa’s top trading partner on the continent, surpassing Zimbabwe which had hitherto been South Africa’s top trading partner on the continent, with natural gas imports by Sasol playing a significant role. For the past seven years, Mozambique has consistently maintained her position as one of South Africa’s top five trading partners.
Ladies and gentleman,
Our two countries will continue to do whatever they can to work in partnership. We have a duty, among other things, to strengthen our economic relations by enhancing cooperation among our business people and increase trade and investment between our countries.
We are happy with the progress achieved thus far in our bilateral cooperation, particularly in areas of trade and investment, energy, cross border transport and in tourism. In this regard, we recognise with satisfaction our cooperation in the Great Limpopo Transfonteir Park where Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe are working together.
Recognising that food security is one of the challenges we face and will continue to face us as a region. To this end, there is an urgent need for our two countries to re-double their efforts in the agricultural cooperation. We need to make food security the top priority.
Your Excellency, President Guebuza, ladies and gentlemen, let me take this opportunity to commend Mozambique’s mediation efforts in the complex Malagasy political dialogue. We salute former President Chissano for his determined efforts to assist the people of Madagascar to deal with their political challenges.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In conclusion, I wish to take this opportunity to thank Mozambique, SADC, the African Union and all those countries who have supported South Africa’s candidature for the non permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the period 2011/12. We can assure you that we will not fail you. We will do everything in our power to raise all the issues bedevilling humanity in particular the issues of peace and security.
Once more Mr President, I welcome you to South Africa and I am looking forward to our discussions.
I thank you.
Source: The Presidency
