Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist October 2019 | Page 50

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H.E. Mr Joel Sibusiso Ndebele
High Commissioner of South Africa to India
South Africa and
I n d i a h ave s e e n
much progress in
their relationship in
recent years. How
do you plan to build
on this during your
tenure?
Whenever we come
to India, we come to a
long-established friend
of South Africa. As you know that the South African
population comprises a large percentage of Indian people.
To establish relations with India is to establish relations with
a friend. When the issue of the struggle against apartheid
came in front of the international community, it was actually
brought way back in 1946 by the Indian representative in the
United Nations at that time, who raised that issue sharply.
From there on, India has been an active supporter of the
struggle of the people of South Africa to end racial inequality.
Once apartheid was defeated, the new and harder struggle
to create South Africa began – a South Africa that is equal,
non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous. And who do we look
up to? We look to our friends. Therefore, the establishment
of relations with India is part of recreating ourselves - as the
new member of the world community that is free and where
everybody is free.
The bilateral trade between South Africa and
India has seen a marked improvement in recent
years. What role does the High Commission of
South Africa in India play to further improve
these trade relations?
It is correct that the bilateral trade has shown a marked
increase in both volume and value. According to South African
statistics, the total trade increase from R 68 billion in 2012 to
R 107 billion in 2017. Actually, South Africa has recorded
a surplus of between R 2-3 billion for 206-2017 fi nancial
years. It should be noted that South Africa is exporting
mostly commodities such
as coal to India, whilst
India is exporting mostly
manufactured products to
South Africa. In addition
to the volume and value
increase, South Africa
wishes to change the
structure of the trade
relationship by exporting
more manufactured
exports to India. The High Commission is promoting trade
in manufactured exports to India by facilitating interaction
between the South African exporters and Indian Importers.
The interaction is facilitated electronically or through the
staging of marketing events such as trade and investment
seminars and exhibitions.
Earlier this year, President of South Africa
visited India and a Three-Year Strategic
Programme of Cooperation (2019-2021) was
signed by the two sides, aimed at reviving the
Strategic Partnership established between
India and South Africa through the Red Fort
Declaration of March 1997. Kindly shed some
light on it.
South Africa and India enjoy a strategic partnership (the
Red Fort and Tshwane declarations) based on shared values
and a commitment to democracy, economic transformation
and just and equitable world order.
During the State Visit by President Ramaphosa to
India from 25 – 26 January 2019, the Three-Year Strategic
Programme for Cooperation: South Africa and India 2019 –
2021 was signed by the respective leaders. This programme
aims at deepening the friendship while ensuring strategic
coordination and joint eff orts to enhance cooperation between
the two countries and their people. Both countries committed
to making the partnership more result-oriented and of greater
direct benefi t to the peoples of South Africa and India.
50 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 10 • October 2019, Noida