South African History Online

Speech by President Nelson Mandela at a banquet hosted by Colonel Qadhafi

Tripoli, 22 October 1997

My Leader and Dear Brother;
Friends,

I want to thank my dear Brother, Colonel Qadhafi, and the government and
people of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for the warm
welcome I and my delegation have been given. It is indeed an honour and a
privilege to be so received here in Tripoli, and to have the opportunity to
renew, in person, the strong bonds between our nations.

Our visit to your country, brief as it has had to be, has proved a moving
experience. The people of Libya shared the trenches with us in our struggle for
freedom. You were in the front ranks of those whose selfless and practical
support helped assure a victory that was as much yours as it is ours.

We are therefore deeply moved to be amongst freedom fighters for whom the
freedom of others was as precious as their own. Though South Africans, and
myself personally, are no strangers to your country, our first official visit
affords us the opportunity once again to thank you from the bottom of our heart
for making our cause your own. This makes it all the more painful to see
evidence of the Libyan people's own suffering.

The suffering of the people of any single country affects all of us no matter
where we find ourselves. That is why it is so important that multilateral bodies
assume collective responsibility for finding fair and just solutions to problems
in the world, taking into account equally the considerations of the weak and the
mighty; the rich and the poor; developed and developing nations alike.

As Africans, especially as those who have benefited from African solidarity,
we cannot be unmoved by the plight of African brothers. We should all redouble
our efforts to have Africa's collective voice heard in the councils of the world
in finding such fair, just and even-handed solutions.

We look forward keenly to the time when this great country can again take its
rightful place in the community of nations.

Our visit provides abundant proof, if it were needed, of the strong fraternal
relations between us, as well as our dedication to high-level dialogue on
matters of mutual concern. We also share, as a priority, the welfare and
development of the continent of Africa. This should indeed be so, as this is our
continent; as we are the children of Africa.

Thanks to your contribution to our liberation struggle, we are now in our
third year of democracy in South Africa. It is with great pride that I can
report to you that the people of South Africa are making good use of that
freedom. Exciting challenges have opened up, especially because of our success
in uniting the country. Those who were divided by apartheid into separate groups
have joined hands to work together for a better life for all our people.

Whether it be in the writing of a democratic constitution and the
entrenchment of human rights; in the development and implementation of a
strategy for sustained economic growth; or in programmes of action for
socio-economic improvement, our people have joined hands in a way that has
confounded the prophets of doom.

Already our programme of reconstruction and development is changing the lives
of millions of our people, bringing them basic amenities previously denied to
the great majority: clean water; electricity; decent education and better
housing. This is only the beginning of a task that will take us many years, but
we face the future with confidence, because of our people's unity and because of
the increasing success of the nations of the South in making their voice heard
in world economic and political affairs.

As we define our place in the world as a democracy we are rapidly expanding
relations with those who supported our struggle and in so doing refrained from
entering into economic relations with apartheid South Africa, often at great
cost to themselves. The countries of Africa in particular, as well as those of
Asia are high on our agenda.

We are actively encouraging our business people to develop trade relations
with countries such as yours, and I believe that good progress has already been
made. Both our countries require investment and have much to offer each other,
including skills and resources that complement those of the other. I would urge
you to look closely at the investment opportunities presented by South Africa
and I can assure you that our business people will do the same in respect of
your country.

I am confident that bilateral relations between our two nations and peoples,
already on a sound footing, will be strengthened by the fruitful discussions
which our visit allows.

Friends, Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of my country, may I express our
gratitude for your kind hospitality. And may I ask you to join me in wishing
good health to Colonel Qadhafi and to the people of Libya. May the ties of
friendship and solidarity between our peoples flourish in a partnership for
peace and prosperity.

Issued by: Office of the President