STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS 2006
SA's role in 'a better world'
6 February 2006
In his State of the Nation address to Parliament on Friday, South African President Thabo Mbeki said South Africa will continue to play a key role in promoting stability on the African continent, championing the interests of developing countries in the global economic arena, and engaging in solutions to secure peace in troubled regions of the world.
Regarding African conflicts, the President said South Africa will focus on peace and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire and Sudan, as well as strengthening the African Union and accelerating the implementation of programmes under the New Partnership for Africa's Development.
"In this context we have to ensure that we conduct a successful self-assessment process as we prepare our national report for the African Peer Review Mechanism," he said.
He also touched on South Africa's role as a leader of the community of developing nations.
"As the current chair of
the G77 + China we will do everything possible to advance the interests of the South, including in the context of the continuing WTO negotiations, and the urgent challenge to reform the United Nations," Mbeki told Parliament.
Mbeki said South Africa had a role to play in finding solutions to some of the world's most pressing conflicts and controversies, such as Israel, Palestine and the Iranian nuclear weapons crisis.
"We remain actively engaged to help find solutions to the various matters relating to the Israel/Palestine and the Iranian issues," he said.
"We are committed to the pursuit of negotiated agreements in this regard, consistent with our long held views in favour of the formation of a State of Palestine, security for Israel, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes."
Mbeki said 2006 would be marked by two anniversaries that "serve to emphasise the bonds that tie us to the rest of the world".
These are the Centenary of Satyagraha, the non-violent struggle begun in South Africa by Mahatma Gandhi in 1906, and the 20th anniversary of the death of Mozambican President Samora Machel in a plane crash on South African soil - "a plane crash that still requires a satisfactory explanation," Mbeki said.
The President also referred to the Progressive Governance Summit, to be held in South Africa this week - the first time the conference will be hosted by a developing country. He said having important global leaders in South Africa for a meeting of this kind emphasises the country's role in promoting peace and democracy throughout the world.
"Their presence in our country," Mbeki said, "will communicate the message that we cannot and will not walk away from our internationalist responsibility to add our voice to global effort to create a better world of peace, democracy, a just world order and prosperity for all nations."
SouthAfrica.info
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