Transcript South Africa`s Engagement with 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
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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
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
South Africa’s Engagement with G8
• Political Mandate: Cabinet/Lekgotla priority on NorthSouth 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
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;
Africa Outreach Programme
• Challenges in Africa Outreach;
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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
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
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
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; Peacebuilding)
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
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
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
South Africa & the G8
END - THANK YOU