at the occasion of the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) 2007
Maritime Conference entitled "Emerging Maritime Concepts in Southern Africa",
convened at the Maritime Warfare School, Simon's Town
12 June 2007
Heads of navies and delegates of navies of the African continent
Generals and flag officers
Senior officers
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
We welcome you all to Simon's Town on this occasion of the Standing Maritime
Committee of the SADC's Maritime Conference for 2007. This occasion marks the
coming together of members of the SADC as well as our international partners to
deliberate upon matters of considerable strategic significance to our
region.
It is significant that this conference has as its theme, "Emerging Maritime
Concepts in Southern Africa". Of the many issues that face conceptual
development in this sphere, four focus areas were identified as being critical
to support the vision of the SADC. These include themes addressing:
* the creation of a Centre of Excellence for Naval training
* naval co-ordination and guidance of shipping
* the formation of a maritime component of the SADC brigade
* sealift capabilities required for peace support operations in Africa.
It is this fourth theme which we regard as being particularly important. A
sound sealift capability is pivotal to our ability to support our people, both
in the region and on the continent. This support will position us to render
assistance in many forms including disaster relief, evacuation, transportation
and hospital services. A sealift capability would provide the region with the
requisite means to launch extensive support in such large-scale disasters as
rampant flooding, as we have seen in Mozambique or in disasters such as the
tsunami which we endured during December 2005.
These themes are of pivotal importance to supporting the vision of the SADC,
encapsulated in the vision of the standing maritime committee, namely to
promote peace and prosperity in the region through maritime co-operation.
Our territory in Africa is blessed with abundance of natural resources above
and under our soil and beneath our bordering seas. In Southern Africa we are
also the bastions of one of the four major choke points in the world, ours
being the Cape Sea Route together with the Suez Canal, Bab-al-Mandab and the
Straits of Gibraltar. Through good governance and with this wealth of
resources, southern Africa has the necessary potential to generate a better
life for all who live in the region and on the continent.
However, history has demonstrated that this blessing was not always to the
advantage of our people and still today there are unscrupulous elements
operating in our surrounding seas that are involved in poaching, smuggling,
human trafficking, piracy and other forms of organised crime that undermine the
human security of our people.
It is this together with the recognition that the fruits of democracy are to
be enjoyed by all who live in the region and on the continent which underpin
the commitment of African leaders to the vision of the SADC and its subordinate
structures. This vision delineated in the declaration and treaty of the SADC,
indicates the obligation to "take the region out of an era of conflict and
confrontation to one of co-operation, in a climate of peace, security and
stability. These are the prerequisites of development". The declaration calls
amongst others for "a framework to live and work together in peace and
harmony". It is this vision together with the implementation of the New
Partnership for African Development (Nepad), which seeks to create an
environment of stability and security to stimulate economic growth and social
upliftment of SADC.
In this regard, our plan of action makes clear the necessity for
post-conflict reconstruction objectives which highlight the necessity for
longer engagements in theatres of conflict.
Maritime and naval powers have become increasingly important, both in the
region and on the continent. Influencing factors include our dependence upon
sea borne trade, the importance of our offshore oil and gas and the fact that
much of the world's trade and cargo moves along our coast. A further emergent
feature is the escalation in piracy and the poaching of marine resources.
We need to direct special attention to the sea for history has demonstrated
that most large conflicts which have occupied landward forces have come by way
of the sea. It is essential that we regard maritime co-operation and security
as being of significant strategic importance and that we allocate the
appropriate resources to ensuring effective maritime capabilities. Much can be
achieved if we commit ourselves to ensuring the effective functioning of SADC
as a whole, with each component influenced by and influencing others and
supported by and supporting other components.
It is in the spirit of such co-operation and with the inspiration of such
peace and prosperity in the region that this conference is taking place. We are
certain that with the benefit of our collective experience and intellect, our
deliberations will have significant impact not only in the domain of intent but
also in the expression of such intent in tangible activities which are realised
through the attainment of clear objectives. These objectives shall bear
testament to our deep commitment, both in our capacity as individuals and in
our capacity as a collective to strive to ensure a better life for all in our
region and on the continent.
We thank you!
Issued by: Ministry of Defence
12 June 2007
