Programme Director and Moderator, Mr Yunus Hoosen;
Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield;
Ambassador-Designate Nicolette Schreiber;
Mr Frank Gormley, Business Ireland SA;
Mr John Mulder, Chair of the SA Ireland Chamber of Commerce;
Mr Johnny Sexton - whom we cannot but make a special mention of - being a rugby loving nation;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen;

It is a privilege to be here at the Ireland-South Africa Trade and Investment Roundtable with you today, demonstrating the solid and long-lasting relations between our two countries.

Our nations share a vision of prosperity and sustainable growth, built on the foundation of mutual respect, trust, and collaboration that began many decades ago.

This roundtable aims to strengthen bilateral trade and investment relationships between Ireland and South Africa, focusing on growth opportunities. The global economy is rapidly evolving, and adapting and innovating are crucial to seize these opportunities. The engagement aims to enhance the bilateral trade between the two countries, improving people's lives.

The focus is on understanding the potential for growth in the global economy. It is our responsibility as leaders in our various regions to cultivate an environment that promotes entrepreneurship, stimulates innovation, and propels inclusive prosperity.

South Africa is committed to creating an enabling business environment that attracts investment, spurs economic development, and creates job opportunities. We understand the significance of collaboration with countries like Ireland, which share our values and aspirations for a better future.

As a country, we want to enhance our exports of value-added goods and services to Ireland. It is admirable that the two countries already trade in food and beverages. However, I must admit that the global pandemic has hindered our trade partnership, leading to only modest progress. We must identify measures to expedite international investment. I strongly believe that there is significant potential to significantly increase the volume and value of various products, including those that are manufactured.

Ladies and gentlemen,  as investors, you might be asking why you should invest in South Africa?

One of the many reasons to invest in our country is that we have had political stability and peaceful elections since 1994. We emerged from a peaceful election and formed a Government of National Unity. All parties in the Government of National Unity pledge to uphold the 10 fundamental principles of respect for the Constitution, non-racialism, social justice, human dignity, nation-building, peace and stability, accountability, evidence-based policy, professional developmental public service, and integrity. 

We further consider the following factors as key drivers for investing in South Africa: quality infrastructure and logistics, the largest presence of multinationals in Africa, a well-developed and diversified manufacturing base, a lucrative emerging market, favourable market access to the global market, an innovation and technology hub, abundant natural resources, Africa’s leading financial hub, a young labour workforce, and excellent quality of life.

Several South African key science and technology innovations and achievements include the Kreepy Krauly automatic pool cleaner, CAT scan, Q20 lubricant, Pratley Putty and Smartlock Safety Syringe. The Square Kilometre Array, SKA, in the Northern Cape Province will be a catalyst for science, technology, and engineering business opportunities, jobs, and innovation, with the potential to put South Africa on the map as a world big data and analytics hub.

As I have mentioned earlier, the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus has led to unprecedented economic slowdowns across both developed and developing economies. In response, countries adopted a variety of stimulus and economic recovery plans to spur and revive economic activity.

South Africa adopted the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan prioritizing spending across infrastructure, providing employment stimulus to sustain jobs, and implementing measures to deepen local industrialization. South Africa’s Economic Recovery Plan is underpinned by a social compact between government, business and labour, and sector representatives.

Ladies and gentlemen,

South Africa prioritised policies and initiatives that were designed to stimulate industrial development, such as Operation Phakisa, in order to facilitate a rapid economic recovery. The Presidency and National Treasury initiated Operation Vulindlela, a collaborative effort to expedite the implementation of economic and structural reforms, thereby stimulating job creation and development.

Initiatives like this provide investors like yourself with opportunities to get involved in a variety of projects.

In terms of industrial growth, we are backing massive growth in local production to make South African exports more competitive.

A vital part of growing the industrial base is through the development of master plans for industries such as agriculture and agro-processing, renewable energy, and aerospace and defense. In addition to the aforementioned, the industrial base is being expanded through the securing of new investments announced at the annual South African Investment Conference.

To ensure the rapid expansion of energy generation capacity in South Africa, the government has announced various interventions. Eskom, the national electricity supplier in South Africa, will be split into three separate units, namely for Generation, Transmission and Distribution.

South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has announced that a further 6800 MW of solar PV and wind power is being procured through Bid Windows 5, 6, and 7. Future windows will procure an additional 3000 MW of gas and 513 MW of battery storage. The government has boosted private sector participation in energy generation by removing the 100MW Nersa licence threshold, a game-changing announcement for the industry.

It should also be noted that the Hydrogen Economy has been identified as a potential game changer for South Africa. The Hydrogen Economy is key to a 2050 just transition of the economy with the potential to decarbonise various value chains and to provide security of energy supply. Investors are currently identifying various projects for potential future investments.

In addition to the investment opportunities in the energy space, South Africa wishes to explore cooperation for investment projects in sectors such as Food Tech, Global Business Services, Film, Financial Technology (Fintech), and infrastructure in Ireland.

South Africa can benefit from Ireland’s expertise in the tech sector. South Africa is currently attracting a lot of back-office service operations from foreign companies. However, foreign companies from Ireland have been slow in relocating operations to South Africa. This engagement presents an opportunity to reverse this trend.

In terms of Fintec, there is a lot of capital available in Ireland that could boost South Africa’s innovative Fintec. Furthermore, the film industries of both countries could benefit from enhancing cooperation in the film space could benefit both countriesfilm industries. We urge Ireland to assist South Africa with the successful implementation of the projects, in particular with the provision of requisite skills in these sectors.

Ladies and gentlemen,

There are real signs of early-stage entrepreneurial growth in SA, and there is already a lot of awareness of the potential partnerships and benefits to both countries.
Already, there are large numbers of foreign companies setting up service operations in South Africa. We are hoping to see more of Ireland's companies in our country.

Ladies and gentlemen, South Africa and other African countries recently concluded the Africa Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in January 2021. This agreement has created the world's largest free trade area, connecting 1,3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined Gross Domestic Product value of US$ 3.4 trillion.

As South Africa, we are encouraging foreign companies to invest in South Africa and benefit from the free movement of goods, services, and people from South Africa to other parts of Africa. This is indeed a game-changer development for Africa.

I therefore desire to motivate Irish businesspeople to participate in this development by establishing a presence in South Africa and conducting business with the rest of Africa from our stunning country, which we also referred to as a "gateway to the African market."

Ladies and gentlemen, as you can deduce from my speech, there are numerous business opportunities available in South Africa. I hereby wish to invite Irish businesspeople to visit our beautiful country for business purposes but also for tourism in order to enjoy the beauty of our country.

I am confident that today's discussions will yield new ideas, forge new partnerships, and unlock new opportunities for collaboration between Ireland and South Africa. Together, we can build a stronger, more prosperous future for our nations and contribute to the economic prosperity of our regions.

Let us work hand in hand to harness our partnership's full potential and leave a legacy of shared success and prosperity for generations to come.

I thank you.

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile has today, Friday 27 September 2024, arrived in Dublin, Ireland, on a working visit aimed at reinforcing the historic and warm bilateral relations between South Africa and Ireland. 

The working visit is expected to advance cooperation between South Africa and Ireland, especially with regard to improving trade and investment, and building on the significant progress made in the fields of science and innovation, as well as education and skills development.

The Deputy President’s upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Simon Harris underscores South Africa’s commitment to furthering political and diplomatic ties with Ireland.

As part of his engagements, the Deputy President will participate in the Ireland-South Africa Trade and Investment Round Table, hosted by the Mission in Ireland in collaboration with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. The engagement will focus on facilitating investment opportunities for Irish companies that are already invested in or intend to invest in South Africa.

In addition, the Deputy President is expected to deliver remarks at the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa, which was established to support innovation and entrepreneurship by fostering connections between South Africa and the Irish tech ecosystems. During the event, seven South African startups will present their innovations. These startups will receive funding and networking opportunities designed to connect them with Ireland’s dynamic tech ecosystem. 

The Deputy President is accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and competition Mr Andrew Whitfield.

Media enquiries: Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to Deputy President Mashatile on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on 27 – 28 September 2024, undertake a working visit to Ireland. The visit is aimed at reinforcing South Africa’s historic and warm bilateral relations with Ireland.

Upon arrival in Ireland, the Deputy President will meet his Irish counterpart, Prime Minister Simon Harris, to reaffirm the strong political and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

South Africa and Ireland established diplomatic relations over 30 years ago. Political and economic relations between South Africa and Ireland encompass a broad spectrum of cooperation, such as trade and investment, education, science and innovation and gender equality. Ireland’s developmental programmes have greatly assisted many initiatives in South Africa since 1994, and the partnership continues to this day. 

During the visit, the Deputy President will participate in the South Africa-Ireland Trade and Investment Round Table with Irish companies that are already invested in or intend to invest in South Africa, he is expected to deliver remarks at the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa, established to support innovation and entrepreneurship by fostering connections between the South Africa and Irish tech ecosystems.

The Deputy President will be accompanied to Ireland by the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Andrew Whitfield. 

The Deputy President will then proceed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain (UK) from 29 September – 04 October 2024. The visit will focus on showcasing South Africa as an investment destination of choice and strive to identify and create new trade opportunities for South African businesses, especially small and medium enterprises. 

The UK is one of South Africa’s most significant bilateral partners in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in trade, investment, skills development, science, innovation, the Just Energy Transition and tourism, among others. 

The Deputy President will engage selected investors and trade partners invited in cooperation with economic partners in the UK, and deliver a lecture at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University in London, focusing on South Africa’s forthcoming Presidency of the G20. 

The Deputy President will also pay a courtesy call on the Duke of Edinburgh, and meet the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Ms Angela Rayner.

The Deputy President will be accompanied to the United Kingdom by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola; the Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms Maropene Ramokgopa; the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Mr Dean Macpherson; the Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Stella Ndabeni Abrahams; the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ms Rosemary Capa; the Deputy Minister Finance, Mr David Masondo; the Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Mr Kenneth Morolong and the Deputy Minister Trade Industry and Competition, Mr Andrew Whitfield. 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to Deputy President Mashatile on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, Mr Philemon Yang, 
United Nations Secretary-General, Mr António Guterres,
Excellencies Heads of State and Government,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thirty years ago, South Africa was born as a new nation; equal, united and free from apartheid. We adopted a new constitution as the birth certificate of our new nation.

Our first democratic elections brought the tyranny of apartheid to an end, a system that this General Assembly declared to be a crime against humanity.

In adopting Resolution 2202 A (XXI) in 1966,  the United Nations was a beacon of hope in our quest for justice.

The great wave of solidarity of the peoples of the world led by the United Nations turned the tide against apartheid.

Today democracy flourishes in South Africa. 

We have a progressive constitution, an entrenched human rights culture and strong institutions.

We have laws to advance equality, and programmes to protect society’s most marginalized.

We continue to transform our economy so that it is more competitive, creates more jobs, attracts more investment, and benefits all.  

South Africa is party to global treaties on human rights, gender equality, child rights, refugee protection and environmental protection.

A few days ago South Africa also endorsed the Pact for the Future, that charts the course for a better future for global governance and towards the attainment of the SDGs.

As signatory to the Paris Agreement, we are contributing our fair share towards the global effort, and have a Just Energy Transition Plan to guide our low-carbon, climate resilient development.

Through the African Union, we are working to advance Agenda 2063. We are involved in mediation and conflict resolution across the continent, and actively contribute to peacekeeping missions.

Our political culture has evolved and matured. 

We have just held our seventh free and fair general election since democracy, paving the way for the formation of a Government of National Unity.

Ten political parties have coalesced around a common agenda for economic growth, job creation, poverty eradication and sustainable development.

We are in a new era, one of great promise. 

In what some have called our second miracle, South Africans of all races have rallied behind the Government of National Unity.

We are making headway in resolving some of our most pressing challenges. Our economy has begun to improve and investor confidence is on the rise.

Our country’s prospects look bright, and we look to the future with hope.

The South African story bears witness to the enduring role of the United Nations in global affairs. 

In supporting our struggle, the UN affirmed the principles of the UN Charter – fundamental human rights, the dignity and worth of every person, and the equal rights of nations large and small. 

It affirmed the aspiration contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that we should strive for a world free of barbarous acts that outrage the conscience of mankind.

Genocide was declared to be a stain on the conscience of the world. And the world community took a stand against it.

Apartheid was declared a crime against humanity and a stain on the conscience of the world. The United Nations took a stand against it.

These were crimes against humanity then, and they are crimes against humanity now.

Mr President,

It has been eleven months since the Hamas attack that killed 1 200 people and where hostages were taken.  As South Africa we have condemned this attack.

In response, Israel embarked on collective punishment in its assault on Gaza

The torment of the people of Gaza continues unabated.

More than 40 000 Palestinians have been killed. 

Homes, hospitals and schools lie destroyed. 

Famine and disease stalk the streets. 

This cannot but shock our collective humanity.

The violence the Palestinian people are being subjected to is a grim continuation of more than half a century of apartheid.

We South Africans know what apartheid looks like. 

We lived through it. We suffered and died under it.

We will not remain silent and watch as apartheid is perpetrated against others.

Through the United Nations and the instruments it wields, we must end this suffering.

We are called to uphold the principles of the UN Charter, and to uphold – consistently and in their entirety – the fundamental tenets of international law. 

International law cannot be applied selectively. No one state is more equal than any other.

In December last year, South Africa approached the International Court of Justice seeking an order to prevent Israel from committing genocide against the people of Gaza.

We did so in terms of our obligations as a State Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

As South Africa we welcome the support that a number of countries have given to the case that we launched at the ICJ.

The ICJ’s orders make it clear that that there is a plausible case of genocide against the people of Gaza.

They further make it clear that States must also act to prevent genocide by Israel - and ensure that they are not themselves in violation of the Genocide Convention by aiding or assisting in the commission of genocide. 

We reiterate our call for an immediate cease fire, and for the release of all hostages.

The only lasting solution is the establishment of a Palestinian State, existing side by side with Israel with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Our moral conscience further demands that we exert every effort to bring peace to the Democratic Republic of Congo, to Sudan, to Yemen, to Ukraine and to the troubled Sahel region.

We must realise the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.

Achieving and maintaining peace and security requires the collective will of the community of nations.

It requires that the UN Security Council is representative and inclusive.

Seventy-eight years since its formation, the structure of the UN Security Council remains largely unchanged. 

Africa and its 1,4 billion people remain excluded from its key decision-making structures.  

The Security Council has not fulfilled its mandate to maintain international peace and security. 

The UN Security Council must be reformed as a matter of urgency. It must become more inclusive so that the voices of all nations are heard and considered.

Africa stands ready to play its part in building a safer global order.

The African Union and its member states are engaged in mediation, dialogue, and diplomacy across the continent, to create conditions under which peace and development can take hold. 

There must be greater collaboration between the AU and the UN towards resolving these conflicts, and also in addressing their root causes.

Pandemics and endemics pose a serious threat to us all. 

We are concerned by the spread of MPOX across the world, and Africa in particular. 

We urge the international community to mobilise vaccine stockpiles and other medical counter measures for deployment where they are most needed. 

Economic prosperity is key to sustainable peace.

Through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, we are establishing the foundation for a massive increase in trade and investment in infrastructure.

The AfCFTA will further integrate regional economies and accelerate Africa’s industrialisation. 

The climate crisis is now a full-blown climate emergency.

The impacts have been swift and devastating. Extreme weather such as flooding, fires and droughts is wreaking havoc on societies, economies and livelihoods. 

Despite being least responsible for climate change, developing economy countries and particularly African countries are on the front line.

As South Africa we remain committed to contributing our fair share to reduce global emissions, guided by the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities.

We have adaptation and mitigation programmes and policies in place, and have passed a Climate Change Bill to further support our emissions reduction targets.

It is essential that climate actions do not deepen global inequality or stifle the developmental aspirations of the Global South.

The industrialised nations are not honouring their climate commitments, and we repeat the call for predictable and sustainable financing for climate action. 

We must  operationalise the agreed-upon climate financing and capacity building instruments to advance mitigation and adaptation.

Pursing sustainable development necessitates that those with the means should support those who lack them.

The world faces annual financing gap of USD 4 trillion to achieve sustainable development. 

We call on better resourced countries to  scale up their levels of support to developing nations . 

Debt is the millstone around the neck of developing countries – stifling their potential.

Debt servicing is robbing countries of much-needed funds for health, education and social spending.

South Africa  endorses the UN Secretary-General’s call for reform of the global financial architecture to enable developing countries to lift themselves out of the quicksand of debt.

We must commit to systems for financing development that are more accessible, agile and equitable. 

In 2025 South Africa will assume the presidency of the G20.

We will use this important role to advocate for the peoples of Africa and for all the global South.

South Africa welcomes the adoption of the Pact for the Future.

It is a platform for us to focus on those actions we need to take together to build a world in which the equal worth of every person and the equal worth of every country is recognised and valued.

We particularly welcome the commitments to place poverty eradication at the center of all our efforts; and for the SDG financing gap in developing countries to be closed.

The disparities in wealth and development within and between countries is unjust and unsustainable.

We must continue to strive for equal treatment, opportunity and advancement for all individuals and nations. 

The Pact for the Future must reinvigorate international solidarity.

Like veins that carry sustenance to every part of the body, solidarity is the lifeblood of human progress. 

It binds us together to nourish the greater good.

It is achieving the greater good, for the common good, to which we all strive.

Through dialogue, through respect for the rule of law, through the advancement of human rights, through cooperation and solidarity, we can – and we will – achieve a better world.

I thank you.
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 27 September 2024, officiate the repatriation and restitution homecoming ceremony of South African freedom fighters who lost their lives in Zambia and Zimbabwe during the apartheid era.

The ceremony will take place at the Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in Tshwane, Pretoria.

The ceremony forms part of Heritage Month which is being observed under the theme “Celebrating the Lives of Our Heroes and Heroines Who Laid Down Their Lives for Our Freedom."

 Today, Wednesday, 25 September 2024, the mortal remains of 42 former liberation heroes and heroines who passed away in exile will arrive to a reception ceremony at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in the City of Tshwane. 

The repatriation of the freedom fighters’ remains from Zambia and Zimbabwe forms part of the Resistance and Liberation Heritage Route Project (RLHR). The RLHR is a national memory project aimed at commemorating, celebrating, educating, promoting, preserving, conserving and providing a durable testament of South African’s road to freedom

The repatriation initiative is part of a broader effort to bring the remains of freedom fighters who died in exile to their final resting places. 

This is not only a gesture of honour to the individuals and their families but also an effort to strengthen the bonds of friendship, solidarity, and development with the host countries through memorialisation.

Ahead of addressing the Homecoming Ceremony on Friday, 27 September, President Ramaphosa will lead a wreath-laying procession at the Wall of Names.

The Wall of Names is inscribed with the names of heroes and heroines who died fighting for humanity and freedom during the major conflicts in South African history, namely: the Pre-Colonial Wars, Slavery, Genocide, Wars of Resistance, the South African War, the First and Second World War and the Struggle for Liberation.  

President Ramaphosa will officiate the Repatriation and Restitution Homecoming Ceremony as follows:  
Date: Friday, 27 September 2024
Time: 10:00
Venue: Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum, Tshwane

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President of the General Assembly, Ambassador Philémon Yang,
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr António Guterres,
President of the Republic of Brazil, Mr Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 
Your Excellencies, Foreign Ministers
Ladies and gentlemen,

Allow me to begin by expressing my appreciation to Brazil as the current President of the G20 for convening this meeting.

We further commend the excellent manner in which Brazil has been steering the work of the G20 during its Presidency. 

It has been an auspicious start to the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly.

We convened the Summit of the Future, at the end of which the Pact for the Future was adopted. The Pact is a blueprint for a sustainable, just and peaceful global order for all peoples and nations.

Mr. Secretary-General,

In your address to the General Assembly yesterday you highlighted the fragilities that fray at the seams of our global order. A world of impunity, of inequality and of deep uncertainty.

We concur with your sentiment that the challenges our world faces may be daunting, but they are surmountable.

Our meeting today reaffirms our conviction that as we strive to overcome these challenges, the United Nations must remain the centrepiece of multilateralism.

At the same time, it must be modernised to make it fit-for-purpose and more effective, agile and forward-looking. 

The UN needs to be inclusive. It needs to represent current geopolitical relations and the prevailing international realities. 

The G20’s Call to Action on Global Governance Reform that will be adopted at today’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting is therefore timely and necessary. 

South Africa is committed to the reinvigoration of multilateralism and the reform of global governance institutions to make them more representative.

It is not without significance that the countries of current troika are all from the Global South.

The reform of the global financial architecture in particular must be the rising tide that lifts the fortunes of the most needy and vulnerable. 

Deepening inequality and chronic under-development are the cost if we fail to act now.

The quest for mutual, shared and equitable prosperity necessitates that we undertake bold and decisive reforms to create a stable and inclusive international financial architecture.

These reforms are urgently needed to broaden and strengthen the participation of developing economies in international economic decision-making.

South Africa is concerned about the slow progress in reforming the Multilateral Trading system. 

While the WTO’s Ministerial Council 13 has registered some progress, much work remains to be done to ensure global trade is development focused and sensitive to climate change imperatives. 

South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency from 1 December 2024 to November 2025.

This is approximately five years before the deadline of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The next five Presidencies of the G20 must focus their efforts on accelerating progress towards the attainment of the SDGs 

At the launch of the the Special Edition of the Sustainable Development Goals Progress Report on 25 April 2023, the Secretary-General drew attention to the gravity of the situation.

Just 12 per cent of the SDG targets are on track. Progress on 50 per cent is weak and insufficient. On more than 30 per cent of the SDGs we have stalled or gone into reverse.

If we are to meet the 2030 deadline a paradigm shift is necessary.

South Africa has adopted as the theme for its G20 Presidency: ‘Solidarity, Equality and Sustainable Development’. 

We aim to mobilise the countries of the world towards taking practical steps that will resolve global challenges, while strengthening international cooperation within a rules-based system. 

In an interconnected world, the challenges faced by one nation affect all nations. Through solidarity we seek to advance a unified effort and mutual support among member nations.

By advancing equality we seek to ensure fair treatment, opportunities and advancement for all individuals and nations.

This must be irrespective of their economic status, gender, race, geographic location or other characteristics.

Sustainable development is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

The pace of mobilising the necessary resources to ensure that countries with developing economies meet the SDGs doesn’t just have to be accelerated, it has to be indeed turbo-charged. 

South Africa’s G20 Presidency will place Africa’s developmental priorities at the top of its agenda.

A prosperous, developed and stable Africa is a central pillar of our foreign policy.

In this, we are guided by the priorities contained in the AU’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

We will work in close collaboration with the African Union, which has now been admitted as a G20 member. 

South Africa’s G20 Presidency provides us with an opportunity to advocate for and mobilise support for the developing economies of Africa and the Global South.

In doing so we will build on the efforts and successes of the Indonesian, Indian and Brazilian G20 Presidencies.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With less than six years to go before the 2030 deadline for the achievement of the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, we are at a crucial inflection point in humankind’s history.

The imperative of sustainable development has become all the more crucial. 

It cannot be business as usual. It cannot be more platitudes and empty promises. 

Even amidst all the uncertainty in our world today, we have a unique opportunity to change course for development, for the common good, and for common prosperity.

As the G20 we have an important role to play in fulfilling the aspirations of the UN Charter – of social progress and of better standards of life in larger freedom.

In this regard, the UN Charter highlights the employment of international machinery for the 
promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.

By strengthening and reforming multilateral mechanisms and institutions; by deepening
International economic cooperation, we can indeed realise a better world free from the twin scourges of inequality and underdevelopment.

The time is now.

I thank you.

Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,
Chairperson of the board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, the Rt Hon Helen Clark,
Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus,
Representatives of UN agencies and development organisations,
Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are here today because we agree that the health needs of women, children and adolescents requires urgent and sustained political attention at the highest level. 

This 79th Session of the UN General Assembly is an opportunity to accelerate the actions needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals related to women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health.

As we approach the 2030 deadline, investment in development is declining, inequality is persisting and progress is stalling. 

This is manifest in the distressing population health and economic outcomes.

On average, across the world, a woman will spend 25 percent more time than men in poor health. This reduces productivity and earning potential.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the likelihood of dying from childbirth is 50 times higher than in Europe. 

Each year, there are 35 million unsafe terminations of pregnancy.

This is resulting in life-changing injuries for millions and the death of at least 23,000 women each year.

In 2022, 4.9 million under-five deaths were recorded, most of these from preventable causes.

Low- and middle-income countries are the most affected. 

They continue to face the challenges of fragile health systems and inequitable access to health and health-related products.

In 2022, an estimated 13 percent of adolescent girls and young women across the world gave birth before the age of 18.

And yet, we see a downward trend in donor aid for reproductive health and maternal, newborn and child health. 

Countries are struggling with domestic funding allocations to cover essential needs. 

The Global Leaders Network provides a platform for leaders to work together to address these persistent issues.

I thank Her Excellency Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, His Excellency President William Ruto of Kenya, His Excellency Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and His Excellency President Joseph Boakai of Liberia for joining this call to action.  I thank His Excellency Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Mr Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa of the United Republic of Tanzania and His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal for lending their support to this initiative.

We also appreciate the support of the World Health Organization, UNICEF and UNFPA as we move the Global Leaders Network.

Together, women, children and adolescents comprise more than 65 percent of the global population.

Addressing their challenges can fundamentally shift the global health landscape.

The Global Leaders Network will advocate for sustained and enhanced financial investment, contributing to the growth of nations and enabling individuals to reach their potential. 

According to a report by a leading health economics institution, by addressing the health gap between men and women, we could boost the global economy by at least USD 1 trillion annually by 2040.

By addressing the health gap, 137 million women could access full-time employment by 2040, lifting millions of women out of poverty.

We must engage the G7, the G20, BRICS and other blocs to carve out a focused agenda that ensures the necessary investments flow into women, children and adolescent health. 

The Lusaka Agenda, which enhances coordination and accountability in the health financing architecture, can be used to track investments.

In September last year, governments and philanthropies committed to increasing investments to end the shortfall of funding for life-saving family planning supplies. 

These commitments must be upheld.

We need to give greater attention to ending gender-based violence.

We have also seen that the high rates of unintended pregnancies contribute to maternal mortality. 

The United Nations and the African Union, through the Maputo protocol, recognises the right to bodily autonomy, especially for girls and women.

Yet, we continue to grapple with the question of termination of pregnancy at the political level.

This is the case even though the WHO has presented evidence that “where abortion is legal… and where safe services are accessible, both unsafe abortion and abortion-related mortality and morbidity are reduced.”

The Global Leaders Network advocates for life-saving interventions and sexual and reproductive health rights.

As South Africa, we know this from experience. 

The Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act, which we adopted in 1996, contributed to a decline of termination of pregnancy-related mortality by 90 percent between 1994 and 2021.

The Act was passed through a democratic process amidst robust debates and significant pushback. 

But in the end, scores of women’s lives have been saved.

Prevention of unintended pregnancies, comprehensive sexual education and preventing violence against women and girls are still priority interventions. But complementing these with sexual and reproductive health rights saves more lives.

We understand that countries have the sovereign right to make determinations on issues of termination of pregnancy. 

The Global Leaders Network is called to protect the rights of vulnerable populations and present evidence that demonstrates a reduction in morbidity and mortality.

We therefore issue a call to action.

We call on Heads of State and Government to take women, children and adolescent health seriously and join the Global Leaders Network. 

We call on countries, donors and commercial and development investors to carve out a specific financing agenda for women, children and adolescent health. 

We call on countries across the world to collaborate to meet the financing targets for organisations that support women, children and adolescent health.

These include the Global Financing Facility, UNICEF and the UNFPA.

We call on stakeholders in the women, children and adolescent health sector to target those countries with the highest maternal, neonatal and adolescent mortality rates. 

We call on academics and civil society to continue to provide evidence and compelling arguments for urgent political attention and greater investment.

We call for equity in manufacturing, in access to sexual and reproductive health products and in quality health services for women, children and adolescents.

We call for health systems strengthening programmes that address health outcomes for women, children and adolescents.

As the chair of the Global Leaders Network, I thank everyone who is involved in this critical initiative.

By mobilising the world in support, we can save millions of lives.

We can reduce poverty and inequality, improve productivity, develop economies and transform communities across the globe.

I thank you.
 

President of the New York Stock Exchange, Ms Lynn Martin,
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Parks Tau,
Ministers from the Republic of South Africa,
Representatives of business from the US and South Africa,
Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Afternoon. 

Allow me to begin by thanking the leadership of the New York Stock Exchange for hosting this South Africa/USA Business Forum.

This is a timely intervention. 

It is my first visit to the US since we held general elections in May this year that ushered in a Government of National Unity.

Under the GNU, ten political parties have come together and committed to a common programme of action and national agenda.

We are prioritizing inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.

South Africa intends to stay the course on the structural economic reform process, on scaling up investment in key infrastructure, and on improving the business operating environment.

Our efforts to promote South Africa as a favourable investment destination continue to yield positive benefits.

In 2018 we set ourselves a target of attracting R1,2 trillion or approximately USD 63,6 billion
in investment over a five-year period. 

Last year we achieved our target ahead of schedule. 

These investments have been broad in scope and are in a number of key economic sectors such as mining, manufacturing, ICTs, agriculture, automotive, infrastructure development and the digital economy.

A significant proportion of these investments have been in energy, notably renewable energy. 

We have announced a new target of approximately R2 trillion or approximately USD 100 billion over the next five-year period up to 2028. 

The far-reaching structural reforms we have implemented over the past six years have opened up the country to increased levels of investment that continues to grow. 

This has been particularly evident in the clean energy sector that has attracted significant investment since our mobilization drive began.

This bodes well not only for our economy and our nation’s energy security, but also for our commitment to decarbonizing our economy in line with global climate change commitments.

At the same time, we are equally committed to a Just Energy Transition that is inclusive, that take our developmental needs into account, and that leaves no community behind. 

We have a supportive and enabling industrial policy that incorporates amongst others expanding the special economic zones, driving export-led growth, and harnessing the potential of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area or AfCFTA. In January 2024 we began preferential trading under the AfCFTA.

The Government of National Unity is furthermore committed to prudent monetary and fiscal policy and to strengthening regulatory and legislative frameworks to combat corruption.

The multidisciplinary team led by the National Treasury continues to make progress in the efforts to remove South Africa off the Financial Action Task Force grey list. 

In November 2023 the FATF noted that we had made progress in strengthening measures  to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing and upgraded us. We expect to detail more progress in this regard in our next report back schedule for October.

The structural reform process that began under the previous administration further bolsters our position as a destination of choice for foreign investors.

The US State Department’s 2024 Investor Climate Statement highlights just some of South Africa’s unique value propositions.

These include being the most advanced, diverse economy in sub-Saharan Africa; having deep and well-regulated capital markets, stable institutions, a mature financial and services sector, and being a hub for regional investment.

South Africa and Africa is ripe for investment in financial services, advanced manufacturing, energy, healthcare, infrastructure development, mining, science and technology and other sectors.

South Africa is also developing the value chains of the future.

With substantial reserves of critical energy transition minerals, we are positioning ourselves to be at the forefront of the green energy revolution. 

As the country with the world’s largest platinum group metal reserves, we have a competitive advantage when it comes to the production of sustainable energy technologies, including electric vehicles, new energy vehicles and renewable energy components.

South Africa has also developed a regulatory framework to harness the potential of the hydrogen economy.

We have developed a Just Energy Transition Investment Plan that outlines the scope and scale of financing needed to meet our decarbonization objectives, as well as the investment opportunities on offer.

I want to call on US business to partner with us in this regard.

We have also established an Infrastructure Fund, with a USD 6.5 billion allocation over 10 years, to leverage blended financing from private investors and multilateral development banks. The Fund has a pipeline of projects in water, sanitation, energy, transport, digital infrastructure, agriculture, agro-processing and housing.

As the South African government, we have consistently affirmed the importance of collaboration with the private sector to drive economic growth and job creation, and to resolve structural impediments to growth.

The government/business partnership we established last year at the height of our nation’s energy crisis has since been expanded to include collaboration to resolve challenges in transportation and logistics, as well as to tackle crime and corruption.

At our last meeting with the business community in August, one senior South African business leader described the Government of National Unity as new era of partnership, and this is accurate.

South Africa has indeed embarked on a new era of growth, progress and inclusive, shared prosperity.

We are grateful to the New York Stock Exchange for the commitment that it has shown to expanding bilateral relations. 

The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the NYSE and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2022 was an important milestone with respect to developing new products, knowledge sharing around Environmental, Social and Governance, Exchange Traded Funds and digital assets. 

The NYSE’s significant market capitalization and robust trading activity underscores its pivotal role in global finance.

Likewise, the JSE, Africa's largest stock exchange, also offers significant market depth and liquidity. 

Through strategic partnerships and dual listings, the JSE enables South African firms to tap into the extensive capital and investor base of the NYSE.

Conversely, the JSE it offers US companies a gateway to African markets, providing them with valuable insights and opportunities for expansion. 

This collaboration helps both exchanges strengthen their market positions, promote cross-border investment and drive economic growth on a global scale.

The US is one of South Africa’s most valued trading, investment and development partners.

Our cooperation is aligned to South Africa’s national priorities and extends to people-to-people cooperation in the spheres of education, culture, tourism and institution building. 

A number of US companies operate in South Africa, including Procter and Gamble, Ford Motor Company, GE Healthcare, Amazon, John Deere, General Motors and Walmart.

Last year, the United States was the second largest destination for South Africa’s exports with bilateral trade totalling USD 17.6 billion. 

Between 2019 and 2023, total exports to the US accounted for 8 per cent of all South African exports; whilst under AGOA and the GSP, South African exports to the US accounted for 25 per cent of South Africa’s global exports. 

AGOA has enabled us to expand the breadth and depth of our trade ties with the US  and in the process, created more South African jobs.

South Africa is also an anchor for regional value chains in the continent, sourcing inputs from many countries in the region into its manufacturing sector.

These are then re-exported as final products to foreign markets including to the US under AGOA. 

Besides the automotive sector, AGOA has bolstered South African exports of wines, citrus, iron and steel, organic chemicals and precious stones. 

We appreciate the substantial contribution that AGOA has made towards job creation in these labour-intensive sectors. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The advent of the Government of National Unity has renewed investor optimism in the South African economy.

The message I bring to US investors today is that this optimism is well-placed. 

South Africa is firmly on the road to recovery, and we invite you to be part of this journey.

Investments in South Africa are secure. Our business environment is stable.

This is supported policy certainty and regulatory safeguards.

Africa too has a compelling growth story. 

By 2050, the population of Africa is expected to have grown to 2.5 billion people.

According to the African Development Bank, the continent is set to be the second-fastest growing region in the world.

Growth in Africa is expected to average 3.7 percent in 2024 and 4.3 percent in 2025.

This exceeds the projected global average of 3.2 percent. 

Seventeen African economies are projected to grow by more than 5 percent in 2024. 

This demonstrates the resilience of African economies despite numerous global shocks. 

The AFCFTA will remove barriers and unlock opportunities for trade and investment for local and global businesses.

It will drive a wave of industrialisation and create dynamic regional value chains. 

This too presents opportunities for US businesses and investors, and opens up new markets for their goods, products and services. 

Mutually beneficial trade and investment not only unlocks the dynamism and potential of an entire continent. It will also aid Africa’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

I want to invite US businesses to join us at next year’s South Africa Investment Conference where you will be able to see for yourselves the opportunities on offer to invest in our economy.

South Africa is open for business. Sustainable and inclusive growth spurs development and creates jobs.

I look forward to our discussions today.

Together, we can forge a path to shared success and progress, leveraging our combined strengths to achieve enduring prosperity for our people.

I thank you.
 

Coordinator of Prosper Africa, Ms British Robinson
President of the Business Council for International Understanding, Mr Peter Tichansky,
South African Ministers,
Representatives of industry,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning and thank you for this opportunity.

I wish to thank the BCIU and Prosper Africa for hosting this Critical Minerals Roundtable. 

Four months ago, South Africa held national general elections, which ushered in a Government of National Unity.

Ten political parties have come together to coalesce around a common agenda for economic growth and sustainable development.

Through a combination of driving key structural reforms and leveraging the strengths of key economic sectors such as mining, energy, and manufacturing we aim to improve the business operating environment and attract investment.

South Africa is committed to contributing is fair share to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. 

We are advancing a Just Energy Transition Plan that will guide our shift from coal to renewable energy sources while ensuring equitable economic opportunities and social inclusion for affected communities.

South Africa's and Africa’s critical minerals sector has a crucial role to play in this regard, and we recognize the importance of collaboration with other countries to develop the potential of our critical minerals sector.

The US in particular has established expertise in advanced mining technologies, automation and sustainability practices.

We want to strengthen our ties with US companies and institutions to foster technological advancements, enhance supply chain efficiencies and attract investment into our mining sector.

South Africa strongly endorses the United Nations Secretary-General’s position paper on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, where he highlights the importance of beneficiation, benefit sharing, local value addition and economic diversification.

It would not be an understatement to say that the minerals that lie beneath the soil of Africa are powering the green energy revolution.

Thirty percent of the world’s proven critical mineral reserves are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

South Africa has substantial reserves of platinum group metals, manganese, vanadium as well as chromium. 

These resources are fundamental to the development of cutting-edge technologies that drive progress in various sectors. 

What will be critical is to ensure that this progress does not leave Africa behind.

The extraction of critical minerals must not perpetuate colonial-era patterns of exploitation of the continent’s rich resources.

As it stands, most African countries export critical minerals primarily in their raw form. 

By focusing on basic extraction and not on beneficiation and value-added processing of minerals, Africa is both missing out and losing out. 

By some estimates, extraction of select minerals could boost the region’s GDP by 12 per cent or more by 2050. 

However, this is a fraction of the benefits that could be reaped from processing and beneficiation. 

By some estimates African countries could generate USD 24 billion a year in GDP and create 2.3 million jobs from investing in mining beneficiation and domestic processing.  

We are making progress. By way of example, SASOL, our flagship petrochemicals company, is also a leader in green hydrogen technologies, including R&D.

As the global automotive industry moves towards Electric Vehicles and New Energy Vehicles, we are leveraging our rich experience with automotive production to get some of the world’s leading automotive manufactures with a footprint in South Africa to produce more their green vehicles in our country. 

Although South Africa’s ratio of beneficiated to primary products exported continues to improve, we clearly need to do more.

According to the International Monetary Fund, the global market for critical minerals is expected to total approximately USD 16 trillion over the next 25 years.

Africa is perfectly positioned to leverage this demand for its benefit.

As a country South Africa is committed to creating a supportive policy framework for the critical minerals sector.

Our policy approach has five key elements.

Firstly, to simplify and streamline regulations and regulatory approvals for critical minerals extraction and processing.

Secondly, to implement measures to support research and development in mining technologies. By fostering innovation, we aim to enhance extraction efficiency, reduce costs, and drive technological advancements in the sector.

Thirdly, investing in programmes to build the skills and capabilities of our workforce. This includes training and development initiatives to ensure that South Africa has a skilled labour force capable of meeting the demands of a modern mining sector.

Fourthly, prioritizing investments in transport and logistics to improve the efficiency of mineral supply chains. This includes upgrading ports, railways, and roads to support the seamless movement of minerals from mines to global markets.

Fifth, incentivizing domestic and international investment in the critical minerals sector. This includes tax incentives, grants, and other support mechanisms to encourage investment in exploration, production, and technological development.

South Africa also has a beneficiation strategy that seeks to translate the benefits of our country’s mineral endowments into a national competitive advantage. 

As the UN Secretary-General’s paper has noted, Critical Energy Transition Minerals can transform economies, create green jobs and foster sustainable local, regional and global development.

For this unique opportunity to meet its promise and fully realise its potential, it will be key that both mineral-producing countries and the countries that are the end destination of these minerals strive for inclusivity.

The extraction and processing of critical minerals must create decent work opportunities for communities.

Every effort must be made on the part of governments and mining companies to ensure that practices rife on the continent like child and forced labour, and human rights abuses of mine workers, are eradicated. 

Local beneficiation must be prioritized and supported, enabling economies to diversity and industrialise. 

Environmental safeguards, ecosystems protection and sustainable extraction and processing practices must be sacrosanct.

The extraction of these resources from the locations where they are mined is finite. As the UN Secretary-General’s paper notes, there must be a focus not on short-term prosperity but on building lasting inter-generational equity.

Critical minerals are more than just commodities. They are integral to resolving some of the world’s most pressing challenges, be they climate change, energy insecurity or food insecurity. 

They power the technologies that can help us bring about a world that is more equitable and that leaves no one behind.

By leveraging our respective strengths, pursuing strategic collaborations, and implementing supportive policies, we stand ready to meet the demands of the global market and drive sustainable development. 

I call on US companies and investors to join us on our journey, and I look forward to our engagement today. 

I thank you.
 

President, of the General Assembly,
Secretary-General,
Excellencies,

We meet at a time when the world faces many challenges and threats.

Wars, conflict, and the spectre of emerging conflicts are ever-persistent features of our time. 

Climate change is an existential threat. It is reversing economic growth and development gains in the Global North and Global South alike. 

The COVID-19 pandemic that wreaked havoc across our world was one of the worst zoonotic disease outbreaks, but it was not the first, nor will it be the last. 

It was a stark illustration of our extreme vulnerability to pandemics and other global public health emergencies.

The wound of inequality cuts deep, exacerbating poverty, unemployment, deprivation and destitution.

These challenges transcend borders. They affect everyone. 

Through this Summit of the Future, we must therefore forge global consensus on the causes of these challenges.

We must agree on actions to confront and overcome the threats we all face.

This Summit of the Future must bridge the development divide.

It must provide practical solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow. 

The Pact for the Future is an opportunity to change and reinvigorate the multilateral system so that it is fit for purpose to address the challenges that the world faces.

It is an opportunity to make good on our promises to reform the global governance architecture, including international financial institutions and the United Nations Security Council. 

Seventy years since its founding, the structure of the UNSC remains largely unchanged. 

It is clearly no longer fit and adequate to address our modern-day challenges.

We live in a world where the threats and risks to international peace and security are multi-faceted, complex and ever evolving.

Placing the fate of the world’s security in the hands of a select few when it is the vast majority who bear the brunt of these threats is unjust, unfair and unsustainable. 

The UN Security Council as it is currently structured does not represent all and does not consider the voices and viewpoints of all the countries of the world.,

We need to make these institutions more representative of the current membership of the United Nations.

We need to make them more inclusive of the diversity of views on this planet.

We agree with the UN Secretary-General that the Summit of the Future is a ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to forge global consensus and make progress on priorities such as the Sustainable Development Goals. 

We must reflect on the effectiveness of the United Nations.

We need to ensure that the UN is able to address contemporary and future challenges, both the known and anticipated, and to build resilience for the unknown. 

This will ensure that the organisation remains relevant for future generations.

For African countries, the Summit must focus on global action in support of the continent’s developmental agenda, Agenda 2063. It embodies the aspirations of the African people and clearly articulates the type of Africa that Africans want. 

To be meaningful, this Summit of the Future should reinforce the work towards ending poverty and realising the fundamental right to development. 

This summit must accelerate our collective efforts to advance development, peace and security, and human rights.

South Africa believes that the Pact Of the Future that is before us builds on existing commitments in line with the UN 2030 Agenda and Africa’s Agenda 2063.

These are complemented in the Pact by new commitments and actions. 

A key element of the Pact of the Future is working towards a New Agenda for Peace.

This must involve strengthening multilateral action for sustained peace. 

The United Nations was created to save future generations from the scourge of war. 

Yet, armed conflict persists. More and more civilians continue to die. Women and children in particular continue to be adversely affected by conflict. 

There must be a reinforced focus on mediation and the political settlements of disputes.

We must pursue the attainment of just and sustainable peace based on international law.

The Summit of the Future should encourage us to do things differently.

We must make a positive impact on the lives of the people of this planet.

We must transform international systems of power, governance, finance, debt, trade and technology so that they work for all countries.

No one must be left out. No one must be left behind. 

The Pact for the Future must be inclusive. It must be a global commitment that represents the views, concerns and interests of the Global South. It must build on existing obligations.

South Africa welcomes the extensive consultation that has taken place to prepare for the Summit. 

We are called upon to reflect on our common challenges, and in doing so, ensure that the views of all sectors of society, including women and youth, are considered.

Now is the time to recommit to adopting concrete actions to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations.

We leave this Summit with a more ambitious, clearer and concrete call to action to build a world for future generations that is in a far better state than in which we found it.

Our failure will be a betrayal for future generations. We dare not fail.

I thank you.