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| You are here: | Comments and remarks to Wim Jonker Klunne |
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As follow-up on their joint summit in Bordeaux in 2008, the EU and
South Africa agreed by a joint declaration today on ways to deepen their
partnership in five new areas. One of the new areas is energy and energy
security. The strategic partnership between the EU and South Africa has been enlarged to include the following new areas: migration, space, health, sea transport and energy. Energy and energy security, in particular, are among the priorities of the Czech Presidency, represented at the meeting by Czech Foreign Minister and President of the General Affairs and External Relations Council Karel Schwarzenberg. Both parties have thus agreed that the first meeting of the EU-South Africa Energy Dialogue Forum would take place in the course of the Czech Presidency. Both the EU and South Africa consider the issue of energy and its impact on the environment as a key issue of global importance. The European Union and South Africa also discussed regional and global issues, such as the financial crisis or climate change and issues of peace and security that are relevant not only to the African continent but also to the EU, i.e. for example the situation in Sudan, Somalia and Zimbabwe, where the EU expressed deep concern over the human rights situation and where the EU considers further restrictive measures. The situation in the Middle-East and in the Western Balkans was also discussed. The Troika EU – South Africa meeting was held in the Republic of South Africa close to Cape Town and was the first Troika EU meeting with a partner country where the EU was represented by the Czech Presidency. At the same time, this meeting was the eighth meeting of the Troika EU – South Africa. During the meeting the Presidency was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the General Affairs and External Relations Council Karel Schwarzenberg. The European Commission was represented by Commissioner Louis Michel and the EU Council by Deputy Head of the Africa Unit Peter Clausen. The following Presidency of the EU Council was represented by Swedish State Secretary Joakim Stymne. The Delegation of South Africa was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. Additional information: News date: 16/01/2009 |
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