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South Africa & The G8

Presentation on the G8 to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Foreign Affairs By Ambassador J.M. Matjila DDG: Asia & Middle East 5 March 2008. South Africa & The G8. OVERVIEW G8 and its Evolution South Africa’s Engagement with the G8 Road to Hokkaido (Japan Summit 2008)

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South Africa & The G8

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  1. Presentation on the G8 to the Parliamentary Portfolio CommitteeForeign Affairs By Ambassador J.M. MatjilaDDG: Asia & Middle East5 March 2008

  2. South Africa & The G8 OVERVIEW • G8 and its Evolution • South Africa’s Engagement with the G8 • Road to Hokkaido (Japan Summit 2008) • G8/G5 Political Dynamics • South Africa’s Positioning

  3. The G8 & its Evolution • Informal Grouping of 8 industrialized countries founded in 1975 • Membership: France, Japan, Germany, Italy, UK, USA, Canada(1976) and Russia (1998) • Primarily to Dialogue on global economic issues as affecting the industrialized world • With globalization & interdependence imperatives, focus now includes political issues (peace and security); global issues (climate change) and development (Africa) • Strategy based on Outreach Programmes

  4. South Africa’s Engagement with G8 • Political Mandate: Cabinet/Lekgotla priority on North-South Dialogue • Engagement Fronts: • Africa Outreach to promote the African Agenda; • G5 Outreach to promote development, partnership and an equitable global governance system; • Heiligendamm Process established as Political Dialogue on selected issues

  5. Africa Outreach Programme • Origins: Kananaskis (Canada 2002) established African Action Plan (AAP) as G8 undertaking to support NEPAD; • African Partnership Forum established as review mechanism (OECD+Africa); but not effective • Gleneagles (2005) led to multilateral debt forgiveness to Africa and undertook to double ODA by 2010;

  6. Africa Outreach Programme • Challenges in Africa Outreach; • - To agree on review of commitments made in Kananaskis and Gleneagles • - Need for G8’s integrated response to NEPAD; • - Need to address APF institutional set-up currently dominated by OECD

  7. Africa Outreach –Towards Hokkaido • Challenge: To agree on a balanced agenda for APF 10 • Issues for Africa at 10th APF: • - Boosting Economic Growth & Poverty Reduction (focusing on Infrastructure, ICT, Agriculture and Gender mainstreaming); • - African Action Plan: Mutual Responsibility and Accountability; • - Climate Change

  8. Heiligendamm Dialogue Process • Origins: 2007 Summit - Germany • High level political dialogue to generate political consensus on Innovation; Investment; Energy and Development (with special regard to Africa) • Lasting two years with Interim Report to Hokkaido (2008) and Final Report to Italy (2009) • Uses OECD platform to host the Support Unit • South Africa co-chairs the Development Pillar with France

  9. Road to Hokkaido – Japan 2008 • Japan Summit 7 – 9 July 2008 (Hokkaido) • Agenda items: • Macroeconomic Issues • Climate Change • Development (MDGs: Health; Education; Water) and Africa (TICAD IV Outcomes) • Political (North Korea; Afghanistan; Sudan; Iran; Nuclear Non-proliferation; Counter-terrorism; Peace-building)

  10. Road to Hokkaido (cont) • Summit Proceedings Organized as follows: • 7 July: Africa Outreach • 8 July: G8 Summit (closed session) • 9 July: Extended Outreach (G5 and Australia, Indonesia and South Korea) • Summit Preparations as follows; • Ministerial Meetings (Various Subjects) • TICAD IV (6-8 April, 2008) to prepare for Africa Outreach

  11. G5 – Dynamics • G5 not yet formally invited = difficult dynamics • Key Issues: • Efforts to avert G5 institutionalization; • Narrow Outreach Agenda (Climate Change); • Marginalizing the Heiligendamm Process • Resistance to G5 demands for: • Inclusiveness in G8 (implying agenda setting; participation in Summit proper; influencing outcomes: • Calls for G13 (G14) • Form not important: meaningful engagement based equality, partnership and mutual respect are key prerequisites

  12. South Africa’s Positioning • Engagement with G8 critical to; • Influence thinking on Development • Generate support for the African Agenda • Contribute to the establishment of and equitable global economic system • Promoting mutual understanding and development of partnerships. • Challenge: Pursue a relationship based on partnership, equality and mutual respect

  13. South Africa & the G8 • END - THANK YOU

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