South Africa welcomes a European Union proposal to boost diplomatic ties but a closer relationship with the EU must benefit Africa, a senior official said on Monday.
The EU’s European Commission has urged the 25-country bloc to upgrade links with Pretoria to a ”strategic partnership”, putting relations on the same footing as those between the EU and the United States, Japan, Russia, India and China.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad told a group of South African diplomats that Pretoria believed the EU proposal could benefit Africa as it would increase the visibility of African issues in European capitals.
But he said South Africa’s first priorities would remain the Southern African Development Community, the African Union and other regional groupings, and that these commitments would have to be considered before any EU pact was agreed.
Europe is South Africa’s top trade partner, accounting for 32% of its exports and 41% of imports. The EU is also the biggest donor of development assistance, providing about 70% of total funds.
”South Africa views the European Commission’s proposal as an important step, which presents an opportunity for African developmental challenges to be placed higher on the agenda of the EU,” he said.
”We will only enter into a strategic partnership with the EU on condition that the partnership enhances South Africa’s national, regional and African responsibilities.”
EU member states are due to consider the commission’s proposal in late September. If EU officials approve, the initiative could be launched at a meeting of European and South African officials in November.
The European Commission paper suggests a strategic partnership could help further trade liberalisation, anti-fraud cooperation, food safety and intellectual property protection.
Another objective is to strengthen cooperation at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, where South Africa will become a non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2007-08. — Reuters