MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Smith
Yesterday and today I conducted the first visit to South Africa by an Australian Foreign Minister in more than seven years.
Today I met my South African counterpart Foreign Minister Nkoana-Mashabane. We had previously met for the first time in the margins of CHOGM in November 2009.
I also met with South Africa's Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe, ANC Treasurer-General Mathews Phosa, President Zuma's International Adviser and member of his Zimbabwe Facilitation Team, Lindiwe Zulu, and delivered an address to the South African Institute for International Affairs.
Foreign Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and I welcomed and agreed to continue the recent reinvigoration of high-level political contacts. I invited her to visit Australia at an early opportunity and reiterated that we would welcome a visit to Australia by President Zuma.
We agreed that to maintain the current momentum in the relationship, Foreign Ministers will meet annually to increase our bilateral cooperation and review progress in the relationship. Australia and South Africa will effect a Memorandum of Understanding to this end and to reflect the broad nature of the relationship.
Foreign Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and I had a wide ranging exchange of views on our common interests including bilateral trade and investment and education links, as well as cooperation in the WTO, the G20, on non-proliferation and disarmament, climate change, peacebuilding and peacekeeping in Africa, and the United Nations.
I informed Minister Nkoana-Mashabane that Australia would contribute $500,000 and technical expertise to support South Africa in the development of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Climate Change Plan of Action, which will be important in guiding African strategies to address climate change.
As a fellow member of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, I also informed Minister Nkoana-Mashabane that Australia would contribute $6 million over the next two years to peacebuilding efforts in the UN system.
$4 million will be provided over three years to the UN Peacebuilding Fund and $2 million to support peacebuilding initiatives identified by the Peacebuilding Commission, focusing on Burundi and Sierra Leone.
Foreign Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and I also discussed the situation in Zimbabwe and ways in which Australia and South Africa might cooperate to deliver development and capacity-building assistance in Zimbabwe.
Australia has been at the forefront of international efforts to assist Zimbabwe, and we are keen to step up trilateral cooperation in support of recovery efforts in Zimbabwe.
I announced a further commitment of $6 million in additional funding to cooperate with South Africa in supporting the recovery of the Zimbabwe economy.
$4 million will support collaboration between the South Africa and Zimbabwe taxation authorities to build Zimbabwe's taxation administration. The remaining $2 million will see South African technical expertise support capacity building efforts in water and water sanitation.
In Johannesburg, I received a briefing from the South African World Cup Organising Committee on preparations for the tournament. I wished South Africa well in what I am confident will be a tremendously successful World Cup.
I also joined members of the AFL Boomerangs, the indigenous Under 17s squad, to discuss their tour of South Africa. It was a pleasure to spend time with these young Australians, who are part of the AFL's youth and leadership development program.
I also toured the Monash South Africa campus near Johannesburg and met University executives from Johannesburg and Melbourne. We discussed the success of the University since the campus opened in 2001 and the future plans for development.
It was also my great pleasure to participate in a citizenship ceremony at the Australian High Commission on Australia Day.
The Australia Day Celebrations also included a reception for over 20 Australians working in Africa as part of the Australian Volunteers International (AVI) program, and over 40 African alumni of Australia's scholarship programs.
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