Opening remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the inaugural Ghana-South Africa Bi National Commission during state visit to Ghana
Your Excellency, President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo,
Honourable Ministers,
High Commissioners,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mr. President,
I wish to begin by thanking you for the warm welcome extended to me and my delegation since our arrival in Accra.
I am delighted that we agreed that the State Visit should go ahead at this time.
We appreciate this show of solidarity from Ghana in the light of travel bans imposed by some countries on South Africa and sister countries in the region in response to the detection of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
These travel restrictions are harsh, and they are not supported by science. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called it travel apartheid, and rightly so.
They are punitive by their very nature.
Regrettably, and it must be said, they have associations with what we in South Africa knew as the Swart Gevaar. It is an Afrikaans language term used by our former oppressors to scare the white population about the perceived threat of black majority rule, and to keep themselves in power.
On Wednesday at a joint briefing with the African Union, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described it as travel apartheid, and that is what it is.
As South Africa we will continue our close collaboration with the global community in fighting the pandemic, and it means a great deal to us that Ghana has clearly demonstrated its support for us by hosting us here in Accra.
Whilst we respect the right of all countries to take precautionary measures to protect their citizens, ending the pandemic requires collaboration and sharing of expertise.
It is our hope they urgently reconsider their decisions before they cause even further damage to already struggling economies in Southern Africa who rely heavily on the travel and tourism industries.
Your Excellency,
This affirms the growing relations between our two countries.
The bilateral relations between the Republic of South Africa and Republic of Ghana have grown exponentially over the years.
Underlining these strong relations is the elevation of the structured bilateral mechanism from a Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation to a BNC to be chaired by the Heads of State.
This State Visit coincides with the inaugural session of the BNC.
During the course of this morning, our Ministers and senior officials met to discuss Memoranda of Understanding that are ready for signature.
Bilateral cooperation between our two countries in the areas of trade and investment is on an upward trajectory.
However, much more can still be done to encourage increased investment in each other’s countries for our mutual benefit.
Increased political and economic cooperation between our two countries could not come at a more opportune time as we strive to rebuild in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic highlighted the need for the continent to become more self-sufficient through industrialisation and increased manufacturing capacity.
The Africa Continental Free Trade Area is a means of achieving this and it confirms that the economic development of our continent is a responsibility that we share and from which we can all benefit.
Our two countries, as part of a continental collective, need to work together through bilateral and multilateral avenues to advance the African economic integration and development agenda as envisaged in Agenda 2063.
We wish to see increased trade in more value-added products between our two countries.
You will recall, Mr. President, that during my Working Visit to Ghana two years ago, I expressed a wish to see Ghanaian chocolate being exported to South Africa.
The same can be said for cashew nuts and other cash crops as well as fruit and vegetables.
As African countries we tend to export our crops and fruits in their raw form to developed markets.
It is about time that we develop regional value chains for our own agro-processed goods.
I am glad that our Ministers of Agriculture are here today to ensure that we cooperate on these issues.
I am also delighted that after our meeting here, the two Ministers will be signing the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of agriculture.
Furthermore, South African Airways is flying to Accra three times a week, making it easier for us to visit and do business with each other.
We should further explore new areas of economic, trade and investment cooperation, especially in Ghana’s key sectors such as roads and railway infrastructure, mining, energy, manufacturing and agro-processing.
I am pleased to note that according to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, there are over 200 South African companies registered in Ghana employing around 20,000 Ghanaians and 500 expatriates.
Over the past ten years, South African companies have undertaken over 170 projects in Ghana with a capital investment valued in excess of USD 1 billion.
In the last quarter of 2020, South African companies were awarded three projects contributing USD 242 million to Ghana’s foreign direct investment.
These projects include work in professional services, manufacturing and industrial supplies.
In addition, South African bank Investec has been awarded the opportunity to finance several projects in Ghana in areas such as rail, roads and health care.
The footprint of the Development Bank of Southern Africa in Ghana has also expanded rapidly over the years, financing projects in areas like aviation and energy.
With regards to mining, AngloGold Ashanti is committed to its operations in Ghana, and to ensuring there is benefit to all stakeholders including host communities.
Whilst acknowledging the setbacks that occurred in Obuasi this year, AGA is determined to turn this mining operation into a viable sustainable business over the next 2 years.
Furthermore, AngloGold Ashanti is committed to developing its Iduapriem mine to its fullest potential. With further investment, there is potential to extend the life of this mine to 10 years.
This requires a capital spend of between USD 500 million and USD 550 million from 2021 to 2025. This significant capital investment includes major waste stripping, infrastructure and exploration expenditure.
In our efforts to deepen trade and investment, we have to ensure that the business environment in our two countries is conducive for business activity and investment.
The pursuit of economic prosperity will be greatly enhanced by the common values that our countries share.
These values include good governance and democracy.
However, armed conflicts and security challenges still persist on the continent and threaten to derail our efforts to usher in sustainable development and economic prosperity for our people.
Let me take this opportunity, Mr. President, to commend you for your great efforts in mediating and calling for the promotion of peace and stability in the region in your capacity as Chair of the Economic Community of West African States.
South Africa, as part of the African Union collective, supports the call to silence the guns and for democracy to prevail in our continent.
I also wish to congratulate Ghana for being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023.
I am confident that Ghana will use that opportunity to continue calling for closer collaboration between the AU and the UN in resolving conflicts on the continent.
For the AfCFTA to work, Africa needs to be at peace.
As we commence our consultations, I wish to underscore our firm belief that the strong ties of friendship that exist between our two countries can only get stronger.
Your Excellency, allow me to extend my gratitude once again for the very warm welcome and I look forward to productive and fruitful deliberations.
I thank you.
