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Minister [of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor], ministers, Commissioners, Excellencies,

It is a great pleasure and an honour for me to be here and co-chair this 15^th Political Dialogue, which is taking place in the context of our strategic partnership. 

I am glad to be accompanied by my fellow Commissioners for Health and Food Security [Stella Kyriakides], for International Partnerships [Jutta Urpilainen], for financial services, [financial] stability [and Capital Markets Union, Mairead McGuinness].

I am also pleased to meet the ministers representing South Africa here today. Thank you very much for hosting this Ministerial Dialogue and thank you for your hospitality. 

Since our last Ministerial Dialogue in July 2020 – as you have said, Minister [Pandor], with your same words – the world has changed quite dramatically. We are facing an unprecedented level of global instability with old challenges yet to be sufficiently addressed and [with] the new challenges creating more global and increasingly dangerous tensions that affect all of us. 

Our international system is being tested to the core and those of us that believe in the international rule of law and multilateralism must do much more to defend it. I am sure that, putting together our efforts, we will do it. None of us can, of course, do this alone. 

It requires strong partnerships – like ours. Strong cooperation among like-minded countries, as we are. Strong dialogue among those who do not necessarily agree with each other from the start, certainly there are things which we do not see [in] the same way. 

We see this in the context of the European Union, where the Russian war against Ukraine brought the European Union members tightly together in areas where the European Union, until recently, did not play a [particularly] strong role – in particular, in defence policy. More and more, these sad circumstances have become an awakening point for the European Union.

But we see this, perhaps, even more in our external relations where we understand the absolute necessity of forging new initiatives and new alliances.

I am pleased that, in this shaky geopolitical environment, the strategic partnership between South Africa and the European Union has been moving along through a positive trajectory despite some irritants. 

Let me mention some facts. Our trade and economic relations have been growing steadily over the years notably thanks to the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). You are our main trading partner in Africa; the volume of your exports to the European Union has been increasing; and the European Union companies and firms continue to represent a large part of your overall foreign direct investment. We are the first trade partner and the first investor in South Africa.

We are working jointly towards the implementation of this Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). I repeated many times that energy transition will be just or will not happen.

You have presented your investment plan at the last COP and we are fully committed to supporting your vision for South Africa to shift to a greener and cleaner energy future without leaving anyone behind.

In the area of education, research and development – [which] are key [to] the future – we have substantive ties. South Africa is a very active and successful beneficiary of the Erasmus+ Programme, both in terms of individual mobility and of institutional cooperation. We have a good number of European students that come to study in South Africa, and South Africans that pursue studies in the European Union’s universities.

We are also working together to strengthen vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in South Africa. And we are also supporting you in strengthening your anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism rules. That is why today here my fellow Commissioners will play such an important role in this meeting.

As strategic partners, there are areas where we work together and could do more together, where we could work in a more strategic way – at multilateral and continental levels. In some areas there is a clear interest to move forward. For example, the partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains and cooperation on renewable hydrogen, which this Ministerial should push forward. 

This Ministerial Meeting today is taking place in preparation for the South Africa-European Union Summit, which should spell out our joint vision [for the] development of our relations over the years to come. 

The Summit gives us an opportunity to agree at the highest level on the priorities for our joint work: on what we want to achieve together, on what our joint ambitions [are], where we want to be in our relations 5 years from now. Our ambitions, our purposes, our objectives.

Dear Minister [Pandor], dear ministers, dear Commissioners,

I trust that we will use our time today wisely with our eye on what brings us together; how we can do more together; on initiatives that can be taken forward [at] the Summit. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-236020