Engage African Diaspora, including Caribbean and Latin America
Consolidation/Implementation of the African Agenda
SA participation in SADC/SACU
Complete SADC restructuring and strengthen its governance and capacity
Facilitate SACU negotiations with India, China, USA, EFTA and MERCOSUR
Implementation of NEPAD
Mobilise domestic, regional, continental and international resources
Strengthen SA’s NEPAD co-ordination mechanisms to ensure effective engagement in and leadership of NEPAD process
Contribute to successful completion of APRM process in SA and its operationalisation continentally (26 states have now joined)
Focus on attainment of MDGs in Africa
Consolidation of the African Agenda
Peace and Stability
Continue active participation in establishment of African Standby Force
Ensure implementation of revised White Paper on Peace Missions
Monitor political developments in DRC, Zambia, Angola and Nigeria in run up to Presidential and parliamentary elections
Monitor political developments in the Mano River Basin, particularly in Guinea Conakry
Support efforts in Chad at improving conditions on Chad/Sudan border
Support a process of encouraging all role players to seek an amicable solution to challenges facing Zimbabwe
Consolidation of the African Agenda
Post-conflict reconstruction & development
Develop and maintain post-conflict capacity and institution building programmes in the Comoros, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, DRC, Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia
Participate in efforts to find durable peace in Cote d’Ivoire
Strengthening bilateral relations
Opening of new missions
Implement bilateral agreements and ensure effective functioning of joint commissions
South-South Co-Operation and North-South Dialogue
Promote South-South co-operation
Co-chair NAASP with Indonesia and use process to pursue concrete initiatives
Enhance Agenda of the South and African Agenda through IBSA, NAM, G77 and the ACP-EU relationship
North-South Dialogue to support African Agenda
2006 G8 Summit in St. Petersburg will focus on energy, security, health and education. Key interest for Africa is to confirm sustained commitment to outcomes as far as G8 Africa initiatives for development are concerned.
Global Governance: Political and Security
UN Reform
Advance SA and Africa’s interest in the implementation of the 2005 World Summit Outcome
Establish regular dialogue with all nations to obtain support for SA’s position on UN reform and the primacy of multilateralism
Actively participate in establishment of Human Rights Council
Participate in operationalisation of the Peacebuilding Commission
Implement SA’s national positions on UN reform through the promotion of the African Common Position on the expansion/reform of the UNSC
Promote SA candidacy for Non-permanent seat on UNSC
Global Governance: Political and Security
Post-conflict reconstruction/development in Middle East
Support sustainable internationally acceptable solution for conflict
Peaceful conflict resolution/UN role in reconstruction/development in Iraq
Support for a defined, mandated role for the UN in the reconstruction, development, democratic/political processes in Iraq
Peaceful Resolution of Iranian Nuclear Issue
Promotion of resolution of the issue within statutory framework of IAEA
Promote inalienable right of all states to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy as provided for under the NPT
Successful and early conclusion of the Doha Development Round
Bretton Woods institutions (BWIs)
Work towards democratisation of the BWIs (World Bank and IMF) and reform of global financial system
Global Governance: Socio-Economic
Financing for development
Prevent “securitisation” of the international development agenda.
Follow up to Monterrey Consensus of the Conference on Financing for Development
Asia and Australasia
Currently SA is represented by 19 resident missions in the region
Strategic importance to SA trade continues; it remains vital to sharpen SA expertise/capacity in the region to raise the trade and investment profile of SA products and services
Significance of China and India as future sources of investment to SA
Economic opportunities offered in Central Asia, the potential of which remains largely unexplored
Africa-Asia co-operation: NAASP; TICAD (Japan); China-Africa Forum; India-Africa Fund; IBSA; FOCAC; Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation (IOR-ARC) - co-operation synchronized with implementation of NEPAD
IBSA continues to strengthen trilateral co-operation amongst India, Brazil and SA, with the challenge to implement outcomes emanating from the various sectoral working groups. Summit to take place in August 2006
India:Proposed Preferential Trade Agreement provides important framework for closer cooperation with SACU
Tourism as important source of income for SA
Middle East
Strategic importance for South Africa: primary origin of SA crude oil; accounting for more than 80% of total oil imports; market for SA’s industrial, commercial & agricultural products; promising source of tourists, investment and technical co-operation; important constituency for the Agenda of the South.
SA is represented by 12 Missions in the region
Primary strategic significance as repository of and conduit for the world’s largest oil reserves as well as sources of natural gas
SA remains seized with the resolution of the Israeli/Arab conflict, which impacts on international stability, and will continue to play a principled and active role to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict through high-level visits and initiatives. Only way to bring about peace is through comprehensive and unconditional negotiated settlement to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Syrian territories.
High levels of economic interaction with Gulf States and important joint commissions with Saudi Arabia and Iran at ministerial level
Americas
Latin America/Caribbean
SA representation through ten missions
Importance of developing common positions with countries of the region on global issues, promotion of the development agenda, African continental engagement in promoting ideals of the Continent and African Diaspora
Actively support bilateral trade and investment between SA, Mercosur and countries of Mexico, Central America, Andean Community and Caribbean
Future engagement with the 12-nation South American Community of Nations
Strengthening of relations with Southern Cone countries through high-level visits, joint commissions, IBSA and the SACU/Mercosur Framework Preferential FTA, leading to an eventual full FTA
Challenge for SA to ensure a balance between its economic and political relationship. SA business interests need to be promoted in order to rectify the trade imbalance that presently exists in favour of many Latin American countries.
Americas
USA & Canada
SA representation through four missions in the USA and two in Canada
Significant for SA in terms of trade, FDI, tourism and transfer of technology; important for SA to develop specific strategies to harness concrete benefits and tap bilateral potential
SACU-US trade negotiations to be concluded, encouraging US support for economic development and co-operation, and support for the implementation of NEPAD
Challenge to mobilise the North American African Diaspora and SA expatriate communities in support of the African Agenda
Challenge to ensure that bankable NEPAD projects are identified for US/Canadian support
SA has, in the past two years, been top recipient of development assistance from amongst 27 countries supported by the USAID
Europe
TDCA:SA overseeing first five-year review ; will finalise by November 2006; co-ordination of full implementation of the TDCA to ensure that takes advantage of new areas of co-operation, kept in abeyance, prior to full ratification of the TDCA
Strengthen economic relations with Central Europe through TDCA (8 of 11 countries in expanded EU), especially in service industries and applicable technologies. For 2006/2007 focus on Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic
SA to engage SA business and ten new EU Member States to take advantage of opportunities created by the TDCA
Continued participation in negotiations for SACU-EFTA Agreement
Participation in negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements taking place between ACP and EU; sharing of expertise in trade negotiations, especially with SADC
Continued bilateral/multilateral engagement with EU on support for Africa peace/stability efforts
Continued SA/Russian co-operation through ITEC. Russia considered a strategic partner
Asset Management Plan
Property Strategy
The Department commissioned a Feasibility Study to determine alternative ways of procuring properties abroad.
The report has been finalised, which will be used to formulate the Department’s property acquisition plan as well as to obtain funding.
The Department commenced a process of acquiring Head Office building through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Fixed Asset Register
Chanceries: 109 ( 22 Owned and 87 Rented)
Official Residences: 105 ( 30 Owned and 75 Rented)
Staff Housing: 489 ( 53 Owned and 436 Rented)
Head Office : 7 ( 2 Owned and 5 Rented)
Asset Management Plan
Programme for 2006/07 Financial Year
Construction Projects: Addis Ababa, Abuja, Maseru, Dar Es Salaam, Mbabane, Washington, Tokyo and Kigali
New Acquisitions: New Delhi, Beijing, Nairobi, Brussels, Gaborone, Lumbumbashi and Ouagadougou
Asset Management Plan
Programme for 2006/07 Financial Year
Refurbishment and Repair Projects: Brasilia, Harare, London, Lilongwe, Paris, Rome, Sao Paulo, Windhoek and The Hague
Disposal of Properties: Land Affairs Board has approved all the valuations of the 22 properties and also granted approval to commence the disposal of these properties.The properties in Africa will be disposed of through a closed tender process (Namibia and Malawi), while the ones in Europe will be disposed of through an Estate Agent.
Acquisition of New Head Office: Selection of preferred Bidder and commencement of construction
