The European Union and South Africa on Tuesday hailed a new closer relationship aimed at enhancing their strategic political cooperation on issues including conflict resolution in Africa.
The two sides agreed to work towards a ”strategic partnership” — special relations which the EU so far enjoys only with Canada, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.
”The whole purpose of a strategic partnership is to work together to solve issues of common concern instead of just relying on political dialogue,” said Finnish EU presidency spokesperson Aapo Pohlo.
The two parties will now embark on enhancing cooperation ”towards shared objectives and strategic political cooperation on regional, African and global issues”, according to a joint statement.
”The strategic partnership will also develop stronger and sustainable economic cooperation and extend cooperation to social, cultural and environmental fields,” it added.
One area of potential further cooperation that was mentioned was the Democratic Republic of Congo, where South Africa and the European Union have already been working together.
”Both the EU and ourselves have the same perspective, that we have to support the new government there,” South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told a joint press conference following the talks.
The EU has also been ”very instrumental, especially in funding the AMIS [African Union Mission in Sudan] in Darfur”, she added.
Both the European Union and South Africa support a proposal to deploy a United Nations force in Sudan’s war-torn western region of Darfur.
The European Commission — the bloc’s executive arm — views South Africa as a leading nation and a peace broker, therefore a natural partner to Europe on the African continent.
South African Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Lulu Xingwana took the opportunity to see EU support to resume the Doha round of World Trade Organisation talks.
”The sooner we finalise the Doha round the better,” she told a joint press conference in Brussels.
South Africa and the EU will also start negotiations for a comprehensive update and revision of the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement, which has been the cornerstone of their relations since 2000.
They also agreed on further liberalisation of trade in the automotive sector, though Dlamini-Zuma described this deal as ”asymmetrical”. — Sapa-AFP