Opening Remarks By Ms Colette Clark Ms Colette Clark Acting Director-General of the Department of Public Service and Administration Republic of South Africa at The Senior Officials Technical Consultation on SADC Governance and Public Administration Initiative Pretoria, South Africa 4-5 February 2010 4 th February 2010 1
Fellow Africans Ladies and gentlemen It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to South Africa to the city of Tshwane. This city is the seat of Government and it is pleasing that I welcome you to the city at the beginning of this very important year (2010). As some of you would be aware, two days ago 2 February 2010 we marked the 20 th anniversary of the unbanning of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The ANC is currently in its first year of the fourth democratic term at the helm of Government after millions of South Africans renewed its mandate in last April s general elections. At the party s recent National Executive Committee (NEC) Lekgotla, held in Esselen Park on 15-18 January 2010, the ANC recommitted itself to building a better Africa and a better world. The party said, in consolidating the African agenda it will remain seized with the conscious continental attempts to establish the African Union Government and the strengthening of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It is, therefore, worth noting that this meeting is taking place against this renewed commitment by ruling party to serve the people of South Africa and Africa with passion and vigour. This year is also important for South Africa and the continent because it is the year when in less than 126 days - the world s attention will be focused here as we host the 2010 soccer world cup. These two important events I have just mentioned would not have been possible without the concerted efforts of the peoples of Southern Africa, Africa and beyond. Accepting the Degree of Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India, on 9 May1986, the then President of the ANC, Oliver Tambo said: the struggle against the inhumanity of apartheid has featured many great men and women, whose contribution to the common effort has been, and in numerous cases continues to be, the most outstanding. Today, that struggle involves as active participants not only the vast majority of the people of South Africa of all races, but also the people of the entire region of southern Africa. It involves peoples in Africa and worldwide. We know that we shall win because we are of the world and the world is with us. Today, as we are gathered here to discuss the strategic approach to the SADC Governance and Public Administration initiative, we are in no doubt continuing with the ideal of African solidarity to which the Great Oliver Tambo referred way back in 1986. 2
We are gathered here because we believe that locating the continental governance and public administration at the regional level is critical to the acceleration of the implementation of the continental agenda to transform and modernize the African public service. The Abuja Treaty provides the basis for regional integration and identifies African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as critical stakeholders for economic integration. It is clear that RECs have a pivotal responsibility to mobilize and oversee translation of the AU/NEPAD objectives, goals and strategies into practical, implementable programs, projects and activities at sub-regional and member state level. The SADC Governance and Public Administration initiative dates back to July 2007 when South Africa facilitated an experts seminar in Johannesburg. The seminar was organised to achieve the specific objective of developing a framework and articulating practical strategies for a SADC wide Governance and Public Administration Programme. Furthermore, South Africa, in her capacity as the Chair of the 5 th Conference of African Ministers for Public/Civil Service facilitated consultations with the five AU. Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to promote the AU mandate to locate the Ministerial programme within the RECs policy organs. To this end, South Africa commissioned a paper to explore the viability of locating the Ministers Programme within the RECs regional integration agenda and to review the RECs institutional capability. The RECs paper arose out of the need to analyse the capabilities and challenges that confront RECs active role in governance and public administration. The RECs paper was in many ways a contribution to previous deliberations within the overall framework of the Pan-African Ministers, which emphasised the capacity development challenges facing the RECs and what should be the role of Ministers Programme in meeting them. Informing all these interventions is the acknowledgement that locating the Continental Governance and Public Administration Programme within RECs regional integration is a logical way of deepening and spreading the ethos of good governance, of building capacity and sharing knowledge that will ensure broader continental ownership and leadership of this very important programme. Fellow Africans Friends South Africa has since passed on the button of leadership of the Ministerial programme to a new Bureau led by Kenya. As a member of SADC, South Africa deems it most appropriate to create a platform for the SADC member states to 3
discuss ways and means of establishing and institutionalising the Ministerial programme within the SADC regional integration agenda. In order to enrich discussions at this meeting an invitation has been extended to other RECs, so that they can share with us their own models of mainstreaming governance an public administration into their systems and structures. In this regard, I wish to acknowledge the presence of ECOWAS and COMESA in this meeting. It must also be acknowledged that, in building capacity to facilitate and coordinate the Ministers Programme, the Chairperson of the 6th Conference of African Ministers for Public/ Civil Service continues to emphasise the need to build synergies with RECs. The Chairperson encourages RECs to become active participants and drivers of the Ministers Programme. Fellow Africans Ladies and gentlemen I am pleased to acknowledge the presence of 11 Member States. There are 14 SADC member states in all. The presence of so many of you is solid testimony to the level of seriousness the SADC constituency views this process. As we deliberate over the next two days, we must bear in mind that there are ongoing efforts elsewhere to mainstream governance and public administration into RECs structures and systems. At the end of our deliberations tomorrow, we must have accomplished two very important things towards this goal. Firstly, we should be able to proudly say there is now a broad buy-in and ownership by SADC Member States of the concept of a SADC Ministerial Consultative Forum on Governance and Public Administration. Secondly, we should be able to emerge with a strategic approach and a clear plan of action to actualize the proposed SADC Governance and Public Administration Initiative. It is, also important for of us to think carefully about how we will mobilize the requisite resources to ensure that the initiative is sustained. Indeed, the ability of the RECs to lead Africa s regional cooperation and integration process with respectable outcomes requires them to deliver effectively in the area of regional infrastructural development, boost the value of Africa s trade and significantly spur growth in intra-regional trade. For all this to happen, the continent must rise and provide a robust response to the REC s 4
capacity needs. This consultation is in essence a contribution towards this response to capacity needs for the RECs. I am quite certain that your valuable contributions in this meeting will ensure that we translate these lofty objectives into a practical reality. However, your contributions will, and should not, end here. Quite to the contrary, your work starts from now henceforth. The success of this initiative depends, by and large, on the extent to which we forge and strengthen partnerships with all role players: business sector, civil society and the broad political formations. In concluding ladies and gentlemen, let me once again say that the City of Tshwane, South Africa and its people are delighted to welcome you. Please do feel home. South Africa, the Cradle of Humankind, is your home. I want to invite all of you to find time and space out of this formal setting to sample what the beauty the City of Tshwane and the greater Gauteng has on offer. With this remarks, may I once more wish you fruitful and robust engagement in the course your deliberations. I thank you. 5