[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

9 December 2008

Salutation
Your Excellency, Vice-President Dr and Mrs Jonathan
Honourable Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Governors
Ambassadors and High Commissioners
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

On behalf of the government and the people of the Republic South Africa, I am delighted to welcome you, as I did this morning, to our beloved country.

Your Excellency,

We are indeed pleased about this visit because it confirms the strong relations that both our countries have built prior to and after we attained our freedom in 1994.

Our country values greatly these relations, which have now grown into an important strategic partnership between our countries, positively affecting our work at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

Your Excellency,

Allow me to use this opportunity to convey to you, our deepest sympathies to the people and the Government of Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) on the loss of life and property that took place in Jos, Plateau State.

Rest assured that we will continue to keep you in our heartfelt prayers during this challenging time. Our two countries have in the past had very good relations and I hope that these will continue to benefit us and the entire continent as well.

I believe we are united in the common desire to promote democracy and good governance in Africa, and in acknowledging our collective duty to address the social injustices of poverty and underdevelopment.

Similarly, our two countries have acted together with other countries on our continent, and will continue to do so, to rid our continent of wars and other incidents of political instability.

We also share a deep and principled commitment to multilateralism and the institutions of global governance, as well as the reform of the United Nations in accordance with the consensus developed within the ranks of the African Union.

As you know, Your Excellency, our countries enjoy high level bilateral co-operation within the framework of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) which is aimed at fostering a strategic partnership that would ensure mutual economic benefit, co-operation in safety and security, transport, trade and industry, science and technology, education, energy, environment and tourism.

Our central objective in this regard, Your Excellency will agree, is to promote and encourage trade and investment between our countries, regions and across our continent. We will continue to explore various avenues to strengthen our economic relations in a manner that will mutually benefit our two countries.

We do share concerns that have expressed in the past that we should endeavour to balance the trade between our respective countries. I should urge our captains of industry present this evening, to engage with each other. South Africa is open for business to all interested Nigerian investors.

Your Excellency,

Let me again thank you for visiting our country. I hope that you and your delegation will find time during your busy schedule to visit some of our historic sites in the country. If I may, I would also like to thank Madam Jonathan, for giving us the opportunity to meet her.

Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and join me in a toast to the good health and prosperity of His Excellency, Vice-President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and Madame Patience Jonathan and to the friendship between our countries.

To friendship and solidarity!

Thank you.

Issued by: The Presidency
9 December 2008