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Empowering
People is Ultimate
Goal
India Offers Services
& HR to S.
Africa
Partners
in Sharing
Growth Initiatives
Prime
Minister Manmohan
Singh paid a three-day
visit to South
Africa to join
President Mbeki
and the people
of that country
to commemorate
the centenary
of Satyagraha,
the mass movement
launched by Mahatma
Gandhi in Johannesburg
in September 1906.
He took the opportunity
to visit places
that marked some
milestones in
the Mahatma's
remarkable life;
the Pietermaritzburg
station where,
as young Barrister
Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi, he was
thrown out of
an all-white train
compartment, Phoenix
Settlement and
the Constitution
Hill prison where
he was jailed.
Prime Minister
Singh also visited
the Umbilo Park
Memorial where
several years
later, brave South
Africans opposed
the injustice
of the apartheid
regime. He addressed
the Indian community
in Darban, a meeting
of CEOs in Johannesburg,
at which he urged
them to take advantage
of opportunities
available in India,
and signed a joint
declaration in
Pretoria with
President Mbeki
to further strengthen
the bilateral
bonds between
the two countries.
The two leaders
addressed a joint
press conference
after signing
the declaration.
Excerpts from
Prime Minister
Singh's remarks
at the Joint Press
Conference.
This has been
a most satisfying
visit for me particularly
because it coincides
with Gandhiji's
137th birthday
today (October
2, 2006).
President Mbeki
and I have had
very fruitful
discussions, continuing
upon our meetings
in Brasilia and
in Havana in September
2006. We are satisfied
with the steady
growth in our
multi-dimensional
relationship and
this is reflected
in the joint declaration
that we have just
now signed.
India and South
Africa enjoy excellent
bilateral relations
and I mentioned
to His Excellency
the President
that developing
strategic partnership
with South Africa
is something that
unites all shades
of political opinion
in our country.
We are therefore
keen to work with
South Africa to
enhance and give
more meaning and
content to our
strategic partnership.
We have decided
to maintain active
contacts at all
levels to deepen
our mutual understanding
on bilateral and
international
issues.
Both our countries
face the common
problem of ensuring
that the fruits
of development
reach those who
need them most.
President Mbeki
and I discussed
how we can exchange
experiences and
best practices
to achieve this
objective. India's
strengths are
in the service
industry and human
resources development
and we have offered
to be a partner
in the South Africa's
Accelerated and
Shared Growth
Initiative. President
Mbeki and I have
tasked our officials
to draw up a concrete
programme of cooperation
to implement this
offer.
South Africa is
India's biggest
trading partner
in Africa. Many
of our Indian
companies are
present here and
are expanding
their business
presence. The
rapid growth of
the Indian economy
offers significant
opportunities
to both sides.
President Mbeki
and I have decided
to qualitatively
enhance our commercial
and economic relationship.
The India-South
Africa CEOs' Forum
will provide a
further momentum
to our economic
cooperation in
the jointly identified
priority sectors.
India and South
Africa have active
cooperation in
the field of science
& technology.
We welcome the
recent signing
of a new Programme
of Cooperation
between our two
countries in this
vital sector.
Our two countries
share a common
vision of a cooperative,
rule-based multi-polar
world order. During
our discussions,
we decided to
strengthen our
cooperation in
the reform of
the UN system
and, in particular,
reform and expansion
of the UN Security
Council, without
which the overall
reform of the
United Nations
will remain incomplete.
I have invited
President Mbeki
to visit India
at his earliest
convenience. I
look forward to
continuing to
work with His
Excellency the
President to enhance
our strategic
partnership to
give it more meaning,
content and thrust.
The Tshwane declaration
Signed by Prime
Minister Singh
and President
Mbeki, reaffirming
the strategic
partnership between
the two countries.
The two national
leaders furthermore
reaffirmed their
belief in the
growing partnership
with the signing
of the following
bilateral agreements/MOUs:
• Co-operation
in the Field of
Education
• MOU between
Spoornet and Railways
They furthermore
noted that the
following agreements
will be signed
imminently, once
the regulatory
procedures have
been completed:
• Exemption
of Visa Requirements
for Holders of
Diplomatic and
Official Passports
• Programme
of Co-operation
in Science and
Technology.
Both leaders expressed
their satisfaction
at the continued
and steady consolidation
of bilateral relations.
Besides the deep
political bond
that was first
forged more than
a century ago,
the partnership
now extends to
the economic,
human resources
development, public
administration
and governance,
urban and rural
settlement, health,
defence, cultural
and science and
technology fields.
Recalling that
the Red Fort Declaration
had recognised
that the economies
of South Africa
and India have
certain comparative
advantages, complementarities
and resources
which can be exploited
to mutual benefit
through trade,
investment and
transfer of technology,
they noted with
satisfaction the
progress that
had taken place
in these areas,
resulting in more
than doubling
of the total bilateral
trade since 2003
and a significant
increase in investments
in both directions.
They acknowledged,
however, that
the full potential
in this regard
was yet to be
tapped and reaffirmed
their determination
to explore these
opportunities
to their optimal
extent, particularly
in the following
priority sectors:
energy, tourism,
health, automobiles
and auto components,
chemicals, dyes,
textiles, fertilisers,
information technology,
small and medium
enterprises and
infrastructure.
They urged the
private sectors
of both countries
to gain better
awareness of each
other's strengths
and to set themselves
ambitious targets.
It should be possible
at least to treble
the volume of
bilateral trade
by 2010. In this
context, they
welcomed the scheduled
third meeting
of the India-South
Africa CEOs' Forum
in Johannesburg
on 2 October 2006,
which would contribute
towards this goal.
Recognising the
major priority
attached to the
health sector
in both countries,
they agreed that
the Agreement
on Co-operation
in Health and
Medicine should
be implemented
expeditiously.
Further, South
African and Indian
companies providing
health services,
including diagnostics
and medical care,
would be encouraged
to work jointly
to provide affordable
health care to
nationals of both
countries as well
as in third countries.
Recalling the
important Agreements,
which were signed
in October 2003
to promote co-operation
in the fields
of hydrocarbons,
electricity and
power, they agreed
that these should
be implemented
at the earliest.
The two leaders
noted the progress
made in bilateral
defence co-operation
as reflected in
the report of
the India-South
Africa Defence
Committee, which
met in June 2006
in Pretoria. They
agreed that South
Africa and India
should work towards
closer co-operation
in the defence
sector, including
the possibility
of joint research
and development.
Furthermore, the
South African
Government expressed
appreciation for
the training provided
by India on UN
Peacekeeping and
operations of
modern submarines.
Lauding the efforts
of the South African
Government for
promoting broad-based
economic and social
development through
the Accelerated
and Shared Growth
Initiative of
South Africa (ASGISA)
and the Joint
Priority Skills
Acquisition Initiative
(JIPSA), Prime
Minister Singh
reaffirmed that
the Indian Government
was ready to be
a partner in these
initiatives and
to provide assistance
in building up
scarce and critical
skills identified
by the South African
Government.
President Mbeki
welcomed the growing
co-operation within
the framework
of the Indian
Technical and
Economic Cooperation
(ITEC) Programme
and Prime Minister
Singh's indication
that India would
increase the number
of ITEC slots
allocated to South
Africa from 55
to 100, with 50
of these slots
earmarked specifically
for the JIPSA
Initiative.
Noting with satisfaction
that the visit
of the Deputy
President of South
Africa to India
from 9 to 13 September
2006 had helped
identify further
avenues through
which India could
contribute to
ASGISA and JIPSA,
the two leaders
decided that a
Programme of Co-operation
addressing growth
and skills would
be drawn up by
designated co-ordinators
from both sides.
To identify means
of co-operation
in capacity building
and skills enhancement
in the key ICT
sector, they requested
the Working Group
set up under the
MOU on Information
& Communication
Technologies to
convene as a matter
of priority.
The two leaders
expressed satisfaction
at the increasing
cultural exchanges
between the two
countries and
decided that the
Cultural Exchange
Programme, which
expires in 2006,
would be renewed;
and that academic
exchanges between
the two countries,
particularly through
University-to-University
linkages, would
be promoted.
President Mbeki
and Prime Minister
Singh expressed
their satisfaction
on the opening
of the South Africa
Tourism office
in Mumbai in 2005
and reaffirmed
their belief that
increased tourism
would not only
bring commercial
benefits to both
countries, but
also enhance the
warm people-to-people
relations between
South Africa and
India. In this
context, they
welcomed the imminent
opening of an
office of the
International
Marketing Council
(IMC) of South
Africa in Mumbai.
In the critically
important field
of Science and
Technology, President
Mbeki and Prime
Minister Singh
agreed that a
more extensive
and active network
between relevant
institutions of
the two countries
would be promoted
by the concerned
Departments.
They noted that
President Abdul
Kalam had delivered
the second Philip
Tobias Lecture
at the invitation
of President Mbeki
and had called
for greater co-operation
between scientists
of South Africa
and India in meeting
the challenges
of development,
including in partnership
in the Pan African
e-Network and
the World Knowledge
Platform.
In addressing
wider areas beyond
the bilateral
realm, the two
leaders agreed
that every effort
would be made
to conclude the
India-Southern
African Customs
Union (SACU) Preferential
Trade Agreement
as soon as possible
since it would
provide a significant
incentive to the
business communities
of the two countries
to explore mutually
beneficial commercial
opportunities
and contribute
to the growth
in bilateral trade.
President Mbeki
and Prime Minister
Singh welcomed
the launching
of the Southern
African Development
Community (SADC)-India
Forum in the Republic
of Namibia on
28 April 2006
to promote technical
co-operation between
SADC and the Government
of India in all
fields of economic
activity with
the empowerment
of the people
in the SADC region
and in India as
a key priority.
The two leaders
agreed that the
consolidation
of the African
Union (AU) held
the key to the
development of
the continent.
South Africa welcomed
India's willingness
to support the
objectives of
the New Partnership
for Africa's Development
(NEPAD), the AU's
primary programme
aimed at consolidating
the African agenda.
The two leaders
expressed satisfaction
at the outcome
of the first IBSA
Summit held in
Brasilia on September
12, 2006. They
welcomed the emergence
of IBSA as an
effective instrument
for promoting
ever-closer co-ordination
on global issues
between these
three influential
and diverse democracies
of Africa, Asia
and South America.
Both sides also
agreed to intensify
consultations
and co-operation
at multilateral
forums such as
NAM, Commonwealth,
G-77, G-20 and
the New Asian-African
Strategic Partnership
(NAASP) with a
view to jointly
addressing global
challenges.
President Mbeki
and Prime Minister
Singh reiterated
the unwavering
commitment of
South Africa and
India to the goal
of the complete
elimination of
nuclear weapons
in a comprehensive,
universal, non-discriminatory
and verifiable
manner and expressed
concern over the
lack of progress
in the realisation
of that goal.
They emphasised
the necessity
to start negotiations
on a phased programme
for the complete
elimination of
nuclear weapons
with a specified
framework of time
to eliminate nuclear
weapons, to prohibit
their development,
production, acquisition,
testing, stockpiling,
transfer, use
or threat of use,
and to provide
for their destruction.
They agreed that
nuclear energy
could play an
important role
in ensuring safe,
sustainable and
non-polluting
sources of energy
to meet the rising
global demands
of energy, particularly
in developing
countries. They
reaffirmed the
inalienable right
of all States
to the peaceful
application of
nuclear energy,
consistent with
their international
legal obligations.
They agreed to
explore approaches
to co-operation
in the peaceful
uses of nuclear
energy under appropriate
IAEA safeguards.
They further agreed
that international
civilian nuclear
co-operation,
under appropriate
IAEA safeguards,
amongst countries
committed to nuclear
disarmament and
non-proliferation
objectives could
be enhanced through
acceptable forward-looking
approaches, consistent
with their respective
national and international
obligations.
In conclusion,
both leaders emphasised
that under-development
could not be addressed
in isolation,
but that its eradication
was a factor of
numerous social
and environmental
influences, including
education, health
care, basic infrastructure
and amenities,
capacity building
and skills enhancement,
political participation
at all levels,
advancement of
indigenous culture
and social organisation
and access to
natural resources,
clean water and
air for all. They
emphasised further
that the right
to freedom had
an important economic
dimension, as
it embraced not
only political
freedom but also
the freedom to
lead a life with
dignity, unfettered
by domination
and discrimination.
They noted that
the strategic
partnership between
South Africa and
India was guided
by the common
vision of a global
order marked by
peace, security
and equity. To
tackle these multiple
challenges, they
reaffirmed their
commitment to
enhance their
co-operation bilaterally
as well as multilaterally,
to build a better,
safer and more
prosperous world
for present and
succeeding generations.
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