Opening remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the Plenary Session of the 3rd South Africa-Mozambique Bi-National Commission, OR Tambo Building, Pretoria

Your Excellency and Dear Brother, President Filipe Nyusi,
Honourable Ministers,
High Commissioners,
Senior Officials,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr President, it is an honour and a privilege to receive you as my guest. 

We meet at a time when our two countries – and all the countries of the world – are striving to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Had it not been for the pandemic, this Bi-National Commission would have taken place some time ago. 

Please accept our warm welcome to South Africa and I look forward to robust discussions that will further enhance relations between our two countries.

It is encouraging to see how the relations between our two countries have expanded and deepened at both a political and economic level. 

As neighbours, we must recognise and nurture our economic interdependence. 

Mozambique remains one of South Africa’s top trading partners in the region, and there are several opportunities for expansion.

South Africa is keen, in particular, to expand cooperation in the energy sector. 

Mozambique is endowed with significant volumes of natural gas. 

This can benefit not only the people of Mozambique and South Africa, but also the rest of the SADC region. 

Energy security is vital to economic growth in our respective countries, and we look forward to significant progress towards securing and sustaining our energy needs.

Our two countries share a common view on issues of peace, stability, economic development, regional and continental integration. 

We are both undertaking programmes to advance youth development, women’s empowerment, poverty alleviation and job creation.

These are some of the concrete steps we are taking to realise the vision of the AU’s Agenda 2063 and to improve the lives of our people. 

We have weathered many difficulties in the past, and through our resilience we have emerged stronger. 

The crisis you are confronting in Cabo Delgado is no different.

We will face it together, with the same determination, certain that the forces of democracy and peace will be victorious. 

Our countries share similar views on the need to reform the United Nations Security Council, to make it an organ that is representative and where the African continent can have a voice. 

South Africa fully supports Mozambique’s candidature for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council. 

Together with South Africa’s tenure in the AU Peace and Security Council, this will provide an opportunity for our countries to further cement cooperation between the two Councils, especially in the area of financing peace support operations.

We are confident that our deliberations today will afford us an opportunity to address issues that will further enhance our bilateral cooperation and forge closer working ties.

Once again, Mr President, may I express my sincere appreciation for agreeing to my invitation and would like to assure you of South Africa’s commitment to our shared future.

I thank you.