SADC Protocol on Culture, Information & Sport;SA Membership of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology

Meeting report

SELECT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND RECREATION
26 August 2003
SADC PROTOCOL ON CULTURE, INFORMATION AND SPORT;
SA membership of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

Chairperson: Mr D Kgware (ANC)

Documents handed out:
SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport Briefing Notes
DST briefing on international co-operation and resources
Dhesigen Naidoo PowerPoint presentation on ICGEB
Department briefing notes on SA membership of the ICGEB

SUMMARY
The Committee met on two issues on SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport and South Africa's membership of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)

SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport
The Committee was briefed on the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport so that they might in turn inform their communities. The instrument is aimed at promoting and celebrating the region's cultural diversity, as well as co-operation among member states, such as for example holding joint cultural shows. The instrument covers issues of training, capacity building and research, flow and exchange of information, resource mobilisation and utilisation, preservation of cultural heritage, freedom of the media, and sport and recreation policies, amongst others. There were no comments or questions from members, except for interjectory remarks by the Chair.

SA membership of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)
Mr Dhesigen Naidoo (Deputy Director-General: International Cooperation in the Department of Science and Technology) briefed the Committee about South Africa's application for membership to the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). Parliament first had to ratify the statute before paying a membership fee of U$37 000 to be accepted as a member. The ICGEB was a lobbying forum for Africa and developing countries and a knowledge platform for problems of the South. SA would benefit greatly from research programmes, pre- and post-doctoral training and biotechnology policy guides.

MINUTES
SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport
The Chairperson said that the purpose of the briefing was to give members "intense" understanding of the protocol so members could inform their communities and prepare themselves well for parliamentary deliberations on the Accord. He reminded them that a protocol couldn't be amended.

Mr V Julius (Deputy Director-General of International Liaison in the Department of Arts and Culture) briefed the session on the protocol, saying it aimed to harmonise legislation on culture and sport in the region and in the NEPAD context. A team of 15 legal experts had worked on the protocol for five years and ensured its "user-friendly" language. Apart from providing legislation on collaboration between member states, the protocol would help countries without legislation to use this instrument as a basis for the formation of a national culture laws. The policy aimed to promote indigenous languages as a medium of instruction, as well as seek alternative means of communications for people with hearing disabilities. It should promote cultural exchange among member countries in the form of joint cultural festivals.

The Chair said the Committee would interrogate the protocol and then compile a report for Parliament.

SA membership of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)
Mr Naidoo said once South Africa's application for membership to the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) was finalised, the country would benefit enormously from the organisation's activities. He cited bioinformatics and computing resources, database functions, technical support, biosafety advice, biotechnology development, research and staff training. The benefits far outweighed the annual membership fee of U$37 000. Parliament first had to ratify ICGEB statutes through South Africa's Permanent Ambassador to the UN in New York. They would then propose a South African candidate for the Auditor General position at the ICGEB. There was also an opportunity for South Africa to host the ICGEB Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases as part of the implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) partnership.

The Chair asked how urgently this ratification was needed.

Mr. Naidoo said preferably by mid-September at the latest.

The Chair said the Committee had no problem with accepting the body's statutes in principle but indicated that they should discuss the issue at a plenary and write a report to parliament.

The meeting was adjourned.