Report to the 2nd Ipaaf General Assembly: consideration

REPORT TO THE 2^ND IPAAF GENERAL ASSEMBLY: CONSIDERATION

These minutes were provided by the Committee Clerk, Mr Keith Williams.

MINUTES
This was a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Land Affairs.

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Land Affairs, Adv S P Holomisa, reopened the meeting at 11:00 and welcomed members of the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs.

Consideration of the report of the South African delegation to the 2nd IPAAF General Assembly in Seoul, Korea
Adv Holomisa pointed out that the report was simple and straightforward. It recommended that the Parliament of the RSA join the IPAAF (International Parliamentarians' Association for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).

Adv Holomisa also stated that the joining of the organisation would provide South African parliamentarians with a link to the farmers and fishers in the developing world. For this reason, it was suggested that the support of the Portfolio Committees on Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Foreign Affairs, as well as Water Affairs and Forestry be sought to make a strong recommendation to the Executive.

The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs, Rev P Moatshe, agreed fully with Adv Holomisa's sentiments.

Some of the points raised in general discussion were:

_ Dialogue with developed countries that were members, like Japan and the Netherlands, should be encouraged so that they could appreciate the position of developing countries.

_ Future delegations to the forum should be well briefed on how measures in the developed world hinder the developing countries. A position paper in this regard should be prepared.

_ The report should list the advantages and disadvantages of joining.

_ The report should note that the problems facing countries like Japan were not the same as those faced by developing countries.

_ A summary of the report prepared jointly by the two chairpersons should be sent to the affected committees for comment.

PRESENT:
Rev P Moatshe (Chairperson)

Eastern Cape
Mr R Z Nogumla

Free State
Rev M Chabaku

KwaZulu-Natal
Mrs J N Vilakazi

Northern Province
Mr M L Mokoena

Western Cape
Ms A M Versfeld

APOLOGIES
Mrs E C Gouws
Dr E A Conroy
Ms B Thompson
Mr T B Taabe
Mr A E van Niekerk
*Ms L Jacobus