Pretoria - A lot still needs to be done to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, says International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo.
The Deputy Minister was speaking on Wednesday at a Public Participation Programme under the theme “South Africa’s Economic Diplomacy with Asia and the Middle East Region” in Cape Town.
“What we want to emphasis as the department of International Relations is that we are bridge builders.”
In addition to the promotion of stability and prosperity in that region being in South Africa’s national interest, many South Africans have an emotional or spiritual bond with the region.
“This is understandable, because the world’s three major monotheistic religions have their origins in the Middle East. There is also a strong historical bond that exists between the people of South Africa and those of Palestine,” said Deputy Minister Mfeketo.
South Africa’s interest in the Middle East is based on two views namely the economic development of South Africa and the promotion of peace and security in that region.
“Integrated trade and investment may have been our initial point of contact post-1994, but our twenty years of relations have brought about a myriad of different areas of cooperation,” explained the Deputy Minister.
South Africa’s engagement with the Middle East not only ensures optimal relations between South Africa and the Middle East, but also contributes to the attainment of South Africa’s national objectives, such as job creation through trade, investment and tourism promotion, as well as the transfer of technologies and skills both to South Africa and the rest of the African continent.
“Despite the difficult international status quo pertaining to the imposition of international sanctions on Iran, South Africa remains committed to the maintenance of good bilateral relations with Iran. South Africa seeks to position relations for a post-sanctions era, in view of the importance of the historical and political significance and the trade and economic potential which Iran holds for the export of South African goods and services,” she explained.
With relation to Syria, the Deputy Minister said the country remains committed to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.
“We maintain that the only hope for the Syrian people lies in the willingness of all the parties to the conflict to immediately put an end to the violence and start engaging each other constructively with the aim of reaching an agreement on a political transition based on the Geneva Communiqué of June 2012.”
South Africa remains convinced that in a complex and diverse society such as Syria, there can be no military solution to the conflict.
When coming to Asia, she said Japan is South Africa’s largest trade partner after China and the United States and a major provider of development finance and assistance, including to the rest of Africa.
Additionally relations between South Africa and the ten member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) continue to grow and deepen.
“Clearly, a lot has been done between South Africa, Asia and the Middle East in the promotion of trade and investment on key areas where capability has been demonstrated,” said the Deputy Minister. - SAnews.gov.za
