DIRK VAN ZYL, Kleinmond | Monday
PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki and members of his International Investment Council (IIC) agreed on Sunday that programmes to put South Africa’s image in a better light needed top priority.
The IIC met at an exclusive resort at Kleinmond on the south western Cape coast on Saturday and Sunday to discuss South Africa’s economy and related matters with Mbeki and cabinet ministers, including Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Trade and Industry minister Alex Erwin.
Addressing the media conference, Mbeki said South Africa did not communicate a positive image to the world.
”All we need do is tell the truth about the country,” he said.
It was the council’s third meeting since Mbeki appointed it to advise him on improving investment flows into South Africa.
The chairman of the giant British-based multinational corporation Unilever, Niall Fitzgerald, said he had been ”hugely impressed” by South Africa’s macro-economic development over the past 12 months, as reflected in the budget Manuel presented in parliament last week. But the IIC and others had to do more to communicate this to ”those who need to know” (potential investors).
Frank Savage, head of United States-based Alliance Capital, said it was important for outsiders to realise South Africa was not Zimbabwe.
”What we have seen over the past two days is not known in the world out there.”
Anne Lauvergeon, of French company Areva, and a new member of the IIC, said she saw herself being an informal ambassador for South Africa to inform outsiders of the ”true situation” in the country.
Juergen Schrempp, head of DaimlerChrysler, said if South Africa had been a member of the European Union, it would receive a top rating for its well-managed deficit in last week’s ”very sound budget”.
If South Africa’s achievements were presented ”in the right way, I’m very optimistic about this part of the African continent,” Schrempp said.
Leong Cheung, of Hong Kong-based company Esquel also a new member of the IIC said the key impression he had gained was that South Africa was the gateway to Africa.
Members of the IIC and other business leaders would continue to measure South Africa’s performance. If its success stories were projected effectively, ”outside investors will be much more keen to come in.”
Mbeki said: ”the positive things (about South Africa) don’t impact on the world sufficiently”.
He and his government, in partnership with the IIC and other leaders, would continue to work to improve this state of affairs and would re-examine the issue at the next IIC meeting, to be held in KwaZulu-Natal in October.
Problems like Zimbabwe and Aids would have to be included in presenting a ”true” package of south Africa to the IIC and others, Mbeki said.
A statement issued by the Trade and Industry ministry after the media conference said the meeting had discussed the performance of the South African economy at length, with a particular focus on the government’s programme to advance micro-economic reform and the budget’s focus on poverty reduction.
Members had also been briefed on progress made with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) and had indicated their support for the approach being adopted by the 15 African heads of state involved in it. – Sapa