Your Excellency and Dear Brother, President Denis Sassou-Nguesso and your dear wife
The Deputy President of the Republic, Honourable Mr Kgalema Motlanthe
Hon Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Mr Mninwa Mahlangu
The Hon Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa, Justice Ngcobo
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers from the two delegations
The CEO of the Local Organising Committee, Mr Danny Jordaan
The Secretary-General of FIFA, Mr Jerome Valcke
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished guests
Let me extend a warm welcome to you my dear Brother, Your Excellency and your dear wife, as well as your distinguished delegation.
We are honoured to host you on the occasion of your State Visit to South Africa.
This is the first State Visit by a Head of State of the Republic of Congo to South Africa.
We hope that your stay has been fruitful and enjoyable thus far.
Relations of solidarity and friendship between our two peoples' date back to the pre 1994 era, when South Africa was engaged in a struggle to end Apartheid.
The Republic of Congo actively opposed apartheid in South Africa.
In Congo, we had a friend we could trust and rely on as oppressed South Africans.
We pay tribute to our brothers and sisters from the Congo for the sacrifices you made in support of the anti-apartheid struggle.
South Africa has cordial and deep relations with the Republic of
Congo and this visit will help us to take these to even higher levels.
Your Excellency, we face common challenges of poverty and underdevelopment.
We will use our excellent political relations to fight these twin menaces and place our countries on a path towards development and prosperity.
Earlier today we signed Agreements and a Memorandum of Understanding.
These are the agreements in the fields of Arts and Culture, Maritime transport and merchant shipping, and the Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Cooperation.
This further cement cooperation between our two countries Mr President, we want to underline the role played by your country in defusing pockets of conflict in the Central African region and the continent.
We would like to single out specifically the role that you personally played in stabilising the situation in Chad.
Our two countries have a big role to play in the maintenance of peace and stability in the Central and Southern African regions, as well as the continent as a whole.
You can rest assured of our full and unflinching support as you continue to play this role.
Mr President, your influence and the leadership role you play in the Central Africa Forests Commission and other regional, continental and international organisations deserve to be commended.
The protection of the Congo Basin forest is pivotal to the economic development of the countries it feeds in Africa, but also to sustainability on a global scale.
The Congo, like the rest of our continent, is endowed with immense natural resources.
Let me assure you, Mr President that South African investors are ready to participate in the development of these resources.
This could help accelerate economic development and further strengthen our bilateral relations.
We look forward to the conclusion of all the discussions and agreements on agricultural cooperation between our two countries.
South African farmers will embark on the implementation of projects that will not only do us proud, but, most importantly, are destined to contribute towards food security in Central and Southern Africa.
Mr President, your country has played a significant role in the international environment.
You held a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council during 2006 to 2007, and served as the Chair of the African Union in 2006.
We congratulate you as well on being appointed as lead spokesperson on Climate Change for the African Union.
We will provide all the support possible in this regard, as the survival of future generations depends on our dealing with this serious challenge effectively.
Your Excellency, thank you for accompanying me to Freedom Park earlier today.
The monument is very important to us.
Freedom Park is the custodian of the spirits and memories from conflicts that have caused untold pain and suffering, but from which we learned and built a new nation.
It captures the pre-colonial period, the wars of resistance against colonialism, the South African War of 1899 to 1902, previously known as the Anglo-Boer War, the first and second World Wars, as well as the liberation struggle from the late nineteenth century up to 1994.
By visiting the monument, you confirmed that we are indeed one people. Ladies and gentlemen, in just a few weeks, this country will receive thousands of people from all over the world for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
We are happy to be joined this evening by the Secretary General of FIFA.
We assure FIFA and the world once again that we are more than ready to host this greatest soccer spectacular.
We will not be found wanting at all on infrastructure, security or the overall logistics of the tournament.
Your Excellency, Mr President we will hopefully watch some of the games with you!
Ladies and gentlemen, may I request you to rise and join me on a toast to the good health of President and Mrs Sassou-Nguesso, and the prosperity of the country and people of the Republic of the Congo!
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
8 April 2010
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/)
