Brussels, 19/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Union and South Africa recognise the role of energy as a “source of growth”, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso stressed during the 6th bilateral summit between the EU and South Africa, held in Pretoria on Thursday 18 July (see EUROPE 10891). The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) and South Africa have signed an agreement on atomic energy use for civilian purposes. The EU has pledged to provide support for bringing electricity to rural areas of South Africa. To this end, the €100,000 million indicated in the text will allow electricity to be carried to 300,000 households in isolated areas. According to Barroso, the agreement should give fresh impetus for strengthening dialogue and cooperation on the nuclear safety issue.
Growth and employment are the key themes of the summit. In order to address the unemployment problem, which is “one of the biggest challenges” facing these two regions of the world, the partners recognise how vitally important investment is in the creation of jobs. The European Union currently accounts for 77% of FDI in the leading African economy. Jacob Zuma, the South African president, said that, over the last five years, 350 European projects have allowed the creation of over 48,000 jobs in South Africa. At the same time, 37 South African companies have invested in Europe, creating 2,300 jobs.
In addition to discussion on the emergency situation in Egypt and the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe, the partners spoke of the situation in Syria. Concerned by the continuing violence and human rights violations there, they called for a political settlement to be found to the conflict. The EU and South Africa congratulate the government of Mali for the efforts it has made to hold free and transparent presidential elections by the month of July, hailing this as a major step towards a full return to the rule of law.
The South African delegation - which has been closely following reports on the state of health of former President Nelson Mandela - had insisted that the summit be held on the day of Mandela's 95th birthday. During a speech at Cape Town university, on Friday 19 July, the president of the European Commission paid tribute to Mandela, saying: “More than ever, in the age of globalisation and growing mutual interdependence, we should nurture his legacy and strive to live up to it. As he said and showed throughout his life: the common ground is greater and more enduring than the differences that divide us”. (LM/transl.jl)