Ambassador Sooklal

Dear Honoured Guests,

Colleagues and Friends

International cooperation is one the cornerstones of South Africa’s National Research and Development Strategy. Indeed, we firmly believe that knowledge generation is a global pursuit. We are convinced that mutual learning, a sharing of experience, the pooling of expertise and joining of efforts across borders are essential.

South Africa needs, and is committed to, international cooperation for the purposes of growing our own National System of Innovation and advancing global sustainable development through the generation and application of knowledge.

Since South Africa became a democracy in 1994, we have spared no effort in developing international scientific and technological relations with friends and partners across the world. Notwithstanding a number of vibrant and useful international partnerships, which form our collaboration network, few destinations are more important to us than Brussels.

I am, thus, very pleased to be here with you in the capital of the European Union, of Belgium and of Flanders. Indeed, as the seat of the Department of the Economy, Science and Innovation of the Government of Flanders, as well as of the Directorates-General for Research, Information Society, Enterprise and Development of the European Commission, it is vital for me to call at the home of some of our most valued international friends and partners.

Tonight, I would very briefly like to share with you some perspectives on our cooperation. Earlier this year, on the occasion of the visit to South Africa by Ms Fientje Moerman, Vice-President of the Flemish Government, and Minister for Economy, Enterprise, Science, Innovation and Foreign Trade, we were privileged to celebrate a decade of scientific cooperation between South Africa and Flanders.

Following a common review of our cooperation, South Africa and Flanders resolutely agreed, that over the past ten years, a unique and mutually beneficial partnership had been built. Since 1996, as part of our programme of cooperation, no fewer than 97 collaborative R&D projects between South African and Flemish research groups had been jointly funded by our Governments.

These projects span all major disciplines. And whilst their specific scientific outputs are impressive, they have also created a deep and lasting network of friendships and partnerships between our research communities. There could not have been a more valuable return on our investments than this concrete support to human capital capacities.

When I met with Minister Moerman in Cape Town earlier this year, and it is at her invitation that I am now visiting Belgium, we also agreed that there were many opportunities for strengthening our relations further, and our administrations are currently working to achieve this objective.

The exciting potential for enhanced cooperation is perhaps best illustrated by Flanders’ contribution, through the Catholic University of Leuven, to the development of sensor and communication technology for South Africa’s new low earth orbiting satellite, SUMBANDILAsat, to be launched at the end of the year.

I now briefly want to turn to the science and technology cooperation between South Africa and the European Union. In December this year, we will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the signing of our Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology. I am fond of reminding my colleagues in Government, whenever South Africa and the European Union are considering a new strategic partnership, that this Agreement was the first ever formal treaty concluded between South Africa and the EU. As in many other instances, science and technology have indeed paved and showed the way for relations in other areas.

Starting with our participation in the Fourth Framework Programme, and bearing in mind that all statistics on the Sixth Framework Programme are not yet available, we currently calculate the number of South African participations in all Framework Programmes to be close to 200. Indeed, over the years, an important portfolio of partnerships has been developed especially in domains such as the environmental and life sciences.

As with our collaboration with Flanders, South Africa’s participation in the Framework Programmes is decisively strengthening our science and technology capacities. At the moment, South Africa performs roughly 0.5% of global R&D. It is therefore imperative for us to connect to global activities, and the Framework Programmes are a primary instrument towards achieving this objective.

In this context, we look forward with anticipation to the Seventh Framework Programme. We are hopeful an optimal enabling environment will be created under FP7 for South Africa and other developing countries to continue to contribute, in a mutually beneficial manner, to a unique global knowledge generation effort. Through the European South African Science and Technology Advancement Programme (ESASTAP), South Africa is actively preparing for these opportunities.

The South Africa–European Union science and technology partnership also comprises many dimensions other than the Framework Programmes. Other collaborations include, the emerging information society dialogue, our cooperation with the EU as members of the African Union and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, as well as collaboration in global forums such as the Group on Earth Observations. In this context, I should highlight our shared conviction that science and technology is a fundamental instrument for sustainable development and the fight against poverty.

Unlike the more intricate political and trade relations, science and technology is often a good news story. This also holds true for South Africa’s relationship with the European Union. However, despite our successes of the past, I would like to urge a renewed and committed effort on both sides to work towards broadening and deepening our relations. As with Flanders, the possibilities are endless.

I would like to conclude with a message that is very dear to my heart. The creation of new knowledge and its translation, through innovation, into new products and services should, in the first instance, be about creating a better, more equitable and caring world. I have no doubt that our partners in the European Union and Flanders share this conviction.

One of the major engagements during my visit to Belgium will be my visit together with Minister Moerman to the Flanders Science Festival Exhibition in which South Africa is also participating. The Flanders Science Festival, indeed the entire Flanders Science Week, are inspiring models of how to promote a vibrant interest in science and technology among the youth. South Africans are keen to learn from such events in order to improve our own programmes.

We value this opportunity. A better world we are all striving towards require our young people everywhere to be adequately empowered to face the future with confidence. Current challenges plaguing our planet present opportunities for future scientific inquiry and technological innovation. We need to create enabling conditions to enable our children to thrive.

I thank you for your attention.