South African History Online

Speech by President Mandela to the business community of Mali

Bamako, 3 March 1996

Honoured Guest;
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour to be in Bamako as your guest, I thank you sincerely for
the very warm welcome you have extended to me.

It is a privilege to be among the members of the business community of Mali.
It symbolises the new era in which we now live: one of co-operation between two
great Africa nations. Above all I welcome the opportunity to share ideas with
you on how we can expand economic links between our countries in order to
benefit our peoples.

We are able to discuss these matters because our South Africa has freed
itself from apartheid, with the support of the people of Mali. We can now
together, and in co-operation with the rest of Africa, face the challenges of
Africa's renewal through development.

The entrepreneurs and traders of Africa should be in the forefront of our
continent's regeneration, for the well-being of our continent is directly linked
to its economic development. For this reason the South African Government is
committed to working for the rapid promotion of economic ties with its fellow
African States. it seeks to do so within a framework which both rewards
enterprise and promote4s balanced economic development. South AFrica sees its
destiny as inextricably linked to that of the continent.

A significant dividend resulting from South AFrica's transition to democracy
has been the normalisation of our relations with the countries of Africa. In the
case of mali this has already meant the establishment of full diplomatic
relations, a doubling of bilateral trade and the initiation of major South
African investment projects in Mali.

We hope that the business people of Mali will take advantage of the
accessibility of the South African Trade Counsellor in Abidjan who frequently
visits Bamako, to identify further opportunities for trade with South Africa.

We are also confident that the conclusion of an Agreement for the Promotion
and Reciprocal Protection of investment between Mali and South Africa will
strengthen confidence in our economic links

We take pride in the fact that South Africa's presence in Mali also
symbolised by gold. The Anglo-American Corporation's extensive involvement in
the development of the Sadiola Hill Gold Mine will bring benefits to the peoples
of both Mali and South Africa.

We encourage South African enterprise to participate in construction and
development projects in other African countries, where this is done in such a
way that it s also assists those countries efforts to achieve sustained
development. For South Africa the Sadiola project creates trade and employment
opportunities. For mali it should bring not only jobs and exports, but also a
transfer of South African mining technology and skills which will permanently
increase the capacity of Malians to contribute to the wealth of the nation.

This is a particularly opportune moment for Mali's businessmen and
entrepreneurs to engage their counterparts in South Africa.

The policies adopted by our government in order to create a climate for
growth are beginning to bear fruit. The South African economy is healthier than
it has been in many decades. The rekindling of business confidence and optimism
reflect the solid foundation on which the economic upswing is based. Expansion
of the manufacturing sector, substantial growth in fixed investments and large
inflows of capital promise a durable recovery. They hold out the possibility of
an even better performance.

Welcome as this development is, we are determined to achieve still higher
levels of growth. For, we need to so if we are to make a significant impact on
employment and produce more resources to uplift the living conditions of our
people. To this end government has been galvanised with the challenge of
formulating medium term strategy for sustained development and growth to lift us
beyond our present constraints, some of which we share with most of Africa.

Amongst other things such a strategy would include expanded trade and
investment relations with African countries and a resolute pursuit of regional
co-operation and development integration.

It would include measures to promote investment in particular sector and
areas. Investment that entrance foreign exchange earnings, build infrastructure
and make our people more productive would have high priority.

To achieve these objectives on a regional and continental scale will call for
a concerned pursuit of unity and co-operation. That will also give our regions
and our continent a more powerful voice in the world markets than any nation
would have on its own.

The challenges facing our countries in transition and the whole of Africa is
magnified by the fact that we live in a time when the advanced industrial
countries are consolidating themselves into powerful economic and political
blocs to strengthen their bargaining positions in world markets.

South Africa is particularly sensitive to this at the moment as we seek to
establish a new framework of agreement within which our trade relations with the
European Union could be conducted on an equitable and mutually advantageous
basis.

South Africa is also working with its Southern African partners to engage the
industrial world in development of the region, and further afield on the
continent. The increased levels of foreign interest in Southern Africa as a
destination for investment reflect the passive potential or our region for
sustained economic growth and development. Democratic systems of governance, a
commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict, disciplined use of public
resources together with ambitious programmes of reconstruction are the key
ingredients which are attracting this interest.

Ladies and gentlemen;

South African business, now freed from the narrow confines created by
apartheid, are eagerly looking to Africa, including Mali, for opportunities for
trade and investment. There is every reason why you, the economic actors of
mali,l should visit South Africa and see for yourselves the many opportunities
for doing business.

It would also be an opportunity to experience South African hospitality,
which we enjoy extending to fellow Africans who come to see our own beautiful
country.

May our partnership prosper to the benefit of our countries and the people of
Africa!

I thank you.

Issued by: Office of the President