Deputy Minister on Department's Work

Meeting report

FOREIGN AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
14 November 2001
DEPUTY MINISTER ON DEPARTMENT'S WORK

Chairperson: Mr Ebrahim (ANC)

Relevant Document:
Briefing Text on Work of Department of Foreign Affairs (see Appendix)

SUMMARY
Mr Aziz Mr Pahad, Deputy Minister of the Department of Foreign Affairs, briefed the Committee on the recent work of the Department, and what is anticipated in 2002. After expressing the government's condolences on the most recent New York air crash, and on the flooding in Algeria, the briefing text was presented, with several matters highlighted and elaborated upon.

After noting that 2001 has seen a growing respect for South Africa amongst the world community, and a diminution of "Afro-pessimism", what with the progress made on NEPAD (New Partnership for African Development) and the formation of the African Union (AU), Mr Pahad called attention to the success of the World Conference on Racism in Durban. In his estimation, despite its problems, the Conference focused attention on the reality that world peace and stability are threatened by the twin scourges of Islamaphobia and anti-Semitism, heightening sensitivity to these issues and to rising right-wing activity in the U.S. and Europe.

Concerning the 11 September events, Mr Pahad confirmed that the government condemns terror wherever it occurs, and will continue to work within the frameworks provided by the UN, NAM, and the AU against it. However, he stressed that terror's root causes, and the world problems which existed prior to the attacks in the US, also need to be addressed.

On the situation in Afghanistan, he noted that the Northern Alliance track record is no better than the Taliban's. He suggested that the repetition of mistakes there which have created chaos and the rule of warlords must be avoided, with Afghan self-determination critical to bringing peace to the region.

Closer to home, he stated South Africa will continue to play a role in conflict resolution, as it has in Burundi, and looks forward to hosting the next round of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue concerning the DRC.

Regarding other challenges for 2002, he urged the Committee to focus on:
- reviewing the proposed International Convention on Terror, ratifying the African Convention on Terror, and working with the Justice Portfolio Committee on the SA Terrorism Bill, as well as educating the public on this subject;
- making the AU, and its related judicial and legislative components, effective structures;
- facilitating the success of NEPAD;
- considering the proposed restructuring of SADC.

In addressing these tasks Mr Pahad suggested that the Committee consider its function in interacting with the Department and other concerned committees. He indicated that dealing holistically with these complex issues is part of the wider challenge of getting the developed world to realise that, in the age of globablisation, it is inextricably linked to the developing world.

Discussion
A committee member commented that South Africa's "fawning cooperation" in response to President Bush's "ultimatum to join the war on terrorism" had created the perception that the government had been co-opted. He pointed out that the world's reaction to 11 September was in great contrast to the reaction to African catastrophes, like the Rwandan genocide. Regarding the SA Terrorism Bill, he asked how "terror" would be defined, and how "terrorism" would be distinguished from a "just war".

In reply, Mr Pahad noted that South Africa had not been co-opted or simply subservient to a superpower, and that its current cooperation is part of its consistent position against terrrorism, which reflects the longheld values of the ANC. Concerning semantics, he indicated that "terror" must be defined in a way that respects the Constitution and recognises the intrinsic merits of "just wars" by liberation movements who have no other way to achieve legitimate aspirations. In this context he then commended Chair Arafat's rejection of Bin Laden’s description of his efforts as being on behalf of the Palestinian people.

Noting that both SADC and the OAU (predecessor of the AU) have been executively driven, without meaningful legislative components, Mr Eglin (DP) asked how the Committee can involve itself in the affairs of international organisations, and what the Department will do to facilitate Committee participation.

In response to this, and that of Ms Hajaij (ANC) about how the Committee is to bring NEPAD to the public, and participate in policy formulation, the Deputy Minister observed that the Committee has the opportunity to make inputs on AU and SADC documents, and suggested that existing mechanisms provide ways for legislators to make Parliament more relevant to the processes.

In response to a final question from Mr Geldenhuys (NNP) as to whether the text of the Conference on Racism statement on reparations for slavery is to be changed, Mr Pahad noted that some people are trying to integrate sections of the Conference Communique into its Program for Action, and that the corridors of the UN are providing a forum for such discussions.

In conclusion, the Chair thanked the Deputy Minister for his time, and noted that the Committee will look forward to visiting the Department in Pretoria in the new year.

Appendix:
PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE BRIEFING

1          Introduction
- Difficult and challenging year.
- South Africa’s role internationally has grown considerably
· Chair of NAM
· Chair of Commonwealth
· Hosting of major international conferences
> SA’s diplomatic representation abroad – 92 missions abroad
> International representation in SA :
· 106 missions
· UN Agencies
- Thank the Portfolio Committee for their contribution
- Consensus regarding foreign policy is growing.

2          Rabid afro-pessimism on the retreat

3          Fundamentally changed world order, characterised by:
End of the cold war and emergence of a uni-polar world
Globalisation

4          WCAR
General view regarding intolerance
Islamaphobia
Anti-semitism


5          A few days after the Durban Conference we witnessed the September 11^th Terrorist Attacks in New York and Washington.  The Impact of terrorist attacks on September 11:
· South Africa unequivocally condemns the terrorist attacks on the USA. 
· SA is already signatory to OAU Conventions and some UN conventions.  NAM positions.
· The claim that this is a Clash of civilisations should be emphatically refuted – We should guard against the notion that the fight against terrorism is a fight against Arab or Islam or any specific language, culture, religions or racial group “clash of civilisation”.
· The South African Government also welcomes the assurances that this is a fight against terrorism, and that civilisation targets will be avoided.
· Any coalition to fight terrorism should be under the under aegis of the UN.
· The military actions that have been taken is in self-defence in terms of article 51 of the UN Charter and in terms of Security Council resolution 1269, 1368 and 1373 as well as Article 5 of NATO Charter
· SA commitment to cooperate
What requests have been made re cooperation
· The fight against terrorism is a long-term one and includes military, legal, economic, political and diplomatic means.
· Instability and volatility of region
· Threats of attack against 3^rd countries.  Libyan experience.
· Speaking at the UN General Assembly Kofi Anan said:
“Let us remember that none of the issues that faced us on 10 September has become less urgent.  The number of people living on less than one dollar a day has not decreased.  The numbers dying of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other preventable diseases have not decreased.  The factors that cause the desert to advance, bio diversity to be lost, and the Earth’s atmosphere to warm have not decreased.  And in the many parts of the world afflicted by the scourge of war, innocent people have not ceased being murdered, mutilated, or dragged or driven from their homes.

In short, my friends, the agenda for peace, development and human rights set for us in the Millennium Declaration is no less pressing.  If anything, it has taken on a new urgency.  Seldom has the danger of division within the human family, and the need to resist that danger, been more clearly understood.

We face two possible futures: a mutually destructive clash between so-called “civilizations” based on the exaggeration of religious and cultural differences; or a global community, respecting diversity and rooted in universal values.  The latter must be our choice – but we can achieve it only if we bring real hope to the billions now trapped in poverty, conflict and disease.”

The S-G has confirmed South Africa’s long held position that In order to defeat terrorism we must adopt a Holistic approach by dealing with the root causes, inter alia, conflicts:
- Angola
- Burundi
· Former President Mandela’s role
· South African troop involvement
- DRC
· Inter-Congolese dialogue in South Africa
· SA troops and police with MONUC
- Middle East
> Support call of the Foreign Ministers of the Permanent 5 for Israeli withdrawal
> Our view regarding the Middle East
· Poverty and underdevelopment are also part of the root causes that need to be dealt with.  I will return to this.

What role can the Committee play with respect to:
· Humanitarian tragedy.
· Fall of Kabul - “New admin” in Afghanistan” – UN recommendation regarding a two year transitional government. Concern regarding report of executions.
· We are working within the context of the UN system, with the rest of the international community to develop relevant international conventions in the fight against terrorism. We have supported the call for an international conference on terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations.  We also support the African Convention on Terrorism adopted at the summit meeting of the OAU held in Algiers in 1999. We are currently preparing for the submission of this convention to Parliament for ratification.  We must also ratify those UN Conventions that we have signed as well as ratify others that are outstanding. 
· The UN Ad-hoc Committee on Terrorism is currently elaborating a comprehensive convention on terrorism which will serve as an over-arching treaty that incorporates key elements of the twelve existing anti-terrorism conventions.  South Africa is actively involved in this initiative.  Relevant SA structures must work on the definition of terrorism and terrorist Act. 
· Goldstone’s appointment – Congratulate Judge Goldstone for being appointed to the International Task Force on Terrorism by the London based International Bar Association.
· We need to ensure that the Terrorism Bill is finalised which would enable us to tighten our law to enable us to effectively deal with terrorism.
· Implications of Resolution 1373.
· Reform of UN – vital to ensure global peace and security.
· Public awareness campaign – We must ensure that our people are aware of the evils of terrorism and expose the nature of those who use terrorist actions purportedly in support of the Palestinian cause. 

Re-emphasise the role of the Committee

6.         NEPAD
The S-G of the UN has said that we can only achieve peace and stability “if we bring real hope to the billions now trapped in poverty, conflict and disease.”  Abedian, the Chief Economist at the Standard Bank, says that after September 11 Africa is facing one of the worst economic downturns in living history and that the severity will vary from country to country.  Wolfenson, the President of the World Bank has said “the terrorist acts of September 11 will plunge millions of people into poverty, as poor countries take a battering because of reduced economic activity in the developed world…About 10 million people are likely to be living below the poverty line of $1 a day because of the attacks.”

Concrete examples of the consequences:
London Times -            
· $7 billion tourist trade in Sub-Saharan Africa expected to shrink significantly.
· Europe, which has 30% of the world reserve of, a key component in the manufacture of aluminium, is bracing itself for a record slump after a dramatic downturn in demand for aircraft.
· Mozambique $1.3 billion aluminium smear project will be affected.
· Kenya, ships 50% of its annual tea crop to Pakistan and Afghanistan
· African exporters have to deal with the increased cost of undervalued trade, including higher increase premium, greater security cost and prolonged custom clearance.
· Many countries, including SA’s privatisation programmes could face delay because of the lack of foreign partners. 
                       
The NEPAD is our hope to meet this reality.  This new Initiative is a pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction that they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development, and at the same time to participate actively in the world economy and body politic.  The Initiative is anchored on the determination of Africans to extricate themselves and the continent from the malaise of underdevelopment and exclusion in a globalising world.  It is a call for a new relationship of partnership between Africa and the international community to overcome the development chasm.  The partnership is to be founded on a realisation of common interest, benefit and equality.

The NEPAD document states, “NEPAD recognises that there have been attempts in the past to set out continent wide-development programmes.  For a variety of reasons, both internal and external, including questionable leadership and ownership by Africans themselves, these have been less than successful.  However, today there is a new set of circumstances, which lend themselves to integrated practical implementation.”

President Mbeki, commenting on the Initiative, said that: “We speak here of a realistic Programme of Action and not a mere wish list.  As we have taken these decisions, we have also made the commitment that we will ourselves, as Africans, ensure that we discharge our own responsibilities to implement what we have committed ourselves to implement.  In our actions, we will be guided by the principle – nothing is done until it is done!”
 
The NEPAD initiative identifies the following key priorities:
Necessary Conditions for development:
- Peace, security, democracy and political governance
- Economic and corporate governance, with a focus on public finance management
- Regional co-operation and integration

Priority sectors:
- Infrastructure and development
- Information and communications technology
- Human development, with a focus on health, education and skills development
- Agriculture
- Promoting diversification of production and exports, with a focus on market access for African exports to industrialised countries

Mobilising resources:
Increasing savings and capital inflows via further debt relief, increased ODA flows and private capital, as well as better management of public revenue and expenditure.

The governance of this initiative would be the AU summit of Heads of State and Government, whose function would be to provide the policy framework.  There would be a 15 Heads of State Implementation Committee chaired by President Obasanjo and convened by President Mbeki.  This committees functions would be to determine policies and priorities and approve programme of action.  In addition there would be a steering committee of 15 experts which will develop a strategic plan for marketing NEPAD at international, sub-regional, regional and international levels, with the aim of mobilising domestic support and facilitating private-public partnerships.  The Secretariat would have a full time staff and would be based in Pretoria.  South Africa will also lead the Committee to deal with peace and security. 

To achieve the objectives of NEPAD we must have strong institutional structures at the continental and sub-regional levels. The OAU Summit thus made the historical decision to transform the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in to the African Union (AU).

The Constitutive Act of the African Union states that the objectives of the AU includes the promotion of democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance.  In order to allow the AU to fulfil its objectives, the AU will consist of various institutions including:

- the Assembly
- the Commission (Secretariat) of the Union;
- the Pan-African Parliament
- the Pan-African Court of Justice
- the Economic, Social and Cultural Council
- the Mechanism for Conflict for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution; and
- the Specialised Technical Committees such as those dealing with capacity building on peace and security (OAU), economic and corporate governance (UNECA), infrastructure (ADB), central Bank and financial standards (ADB) and agriculture and market Access (OAU).

We need to give attention to many issues,
- various clauses that could be open to different interpretations;
- various clauses appear to be contradictory;
- clauses may be interpreted as impinging on the sovereignty of member states in the executive, legislative and judicial sphere.

Further we need to spell out that we think that the various organs mentioned in the Constitutive Act must formulate the protocols, the rules and regulations that should govern these structures.

We also must contribute to the form, content and direction of the African Union. 

There needs to be a partnership of governments and all other elements of society.

These organs will contribute to the maintenance of transparency and democracy within the organisation.  The Pan-African Parliament for example would be a body that would enhance the participation of African peoples, through their elected representatives, in the work of the African Union.   

The conviction, which has been expressed strongly and emphatically, is that the African Union should be different – it should not be a mere continuation of the OAU under a different name; and, therefore, the structure that it is endowed with and the capacities build into it have to enable the realisation of the objectives of enhancing the economic, political and social integration and development of the African people.  The African Union must be something new, with the emphasis on being an African experience.

The Constitutive Act had been signed by all OAU member states and has, to date, been ratified by fifty-one countries.

South Africa will be hosting the African Union Summit next year.  What challenges does this pose for the portfolio committee.

NEPAD will be built on the foundations of sub-regional groupings.  This highlights the importance of SADC.  SADC is also therefore undergoing a major restructuring exercise.  It is moving towards a more streamlined structure and moving away from the sectoral approaches of the past, in favour of an integrated and co-ordinated programme of activities for the region.
 
- 5 year strategic development phase
- SADC integration

We seek to achieve African development in a new world that has fundamentally changed.

It is characterised by the end of the Cold War, the experience of a unipolar world, also unprecedented globalisation.
 
NEPAD is not an event but a process that is very challenging and fraught with many difficulties.

However for the first time we have an African programme, determined by African’s that must guide us.

“Tell no lies, claim no easy victories”.
 
7.         World Summit on Sustainable Development

8.         IMC

Conclusion
- How do we interact more dynamically and regularly?
- How can the Committee contribute more to policy formulation and implementation
- How to interact with counterparts internationally