For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 10, 2005
Joint Statement by President George W. Bush and President Thabo Mbeki
Our two nations are committed to deepening the close bonds of
cooperation and shared values of peace and prosperity that mark the
U.S./South Africa bilateral relationship. In our meeting on June 1, we
shared perspectives on vital bilateral and international issues,
including: trade and economic development; eradication of poverty; the
fight against HIV/AIDS; global cooperation against terrorism and the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; debt management in
Africa; and the compelling need to help all people attain the blessings
of freedom, democracy, and security.
Building Peace and Security
We discussed South Africa's experience as a beacon for
reconciliation and as an important leader in resolving conflicts. We
recognized the significant progress in resolving the devastating
conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Cote
d'Ivoire, and Sudan. Looking to the future, we identified mutual
support for United Nations and African Union initiatives as essential
to building a durable peace in these countries.
- We agreed that all nations should uphold and enforce
internationally established obligations to prevent the further spread
of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and expressed our mutual
determination to deal forcefully with the threat of international
terrorism.
Spreading Economic Growth and Well-Being
The productive meeting afforded us the opportunity to reaffirm our
joint vision for African economic growth and development, a vision
built around the principles of good governance and accountability
established both in the New Partnership for Africa's Development
(NEPAD) and the 2002 Monterrey Consensus.
We noted with satisfaction the positive benefits for South Africa
and the region of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). We
agreed that our two countries share a strong interest in the successful
completion of the Doha Development Agenda negotiations of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) and will work together in the WTO toward the
elimination of agriculture-export subsidies, the reduction of
trade-distorting domestic support, and substantial improvements in
agricultural-market access. We agreed on the economic benefits of a
U.S.-Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement and its
potential to create economic growth and jobs, and we asked our
negotiators to intensify efforts to conclude such an agreement.
We also look forward to a positive outcome of the upcoming G-8
Summit reaffirming the G-8's commitment to supporting Africa's efforts
to address the challenges and realize the opportunities the continent
faces. We agreed to strengthen our joint efforts to cooperate to
combat the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and
other infectious diseases.
Expanding Democracy and Freedom
We agreed that our two nations should identify ways to work
together even more effectively in the international arena to promote
these principles of democracy and human rights.
We stressed that a democratic, stable, and economically prosperous
Zimbabwe is in the interests of the African continent and international
community. We expressed our deep concern about the food crisis and the
suffering of the people of the southern African region - Zimbabwe, in
particular.
Next Steps
To fulfill our joint goals and interests, we agreed to take the
following concrete steps over the next 12 months:
- Expand U.S. cooperation with the NEPAD to support its
vision of improved governance, better economic management, and regional
integration;
- Work with the African Union to promote development and
good governance in Africa, support South African leadership in
resolving conflict and building peace in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burundi;
- Enhance U.S.-South African military cooperation,
including training and equipping a South African battalion and
establishing a joint training program to support the African Standby
Force and peacekeeping initiatives throughout the continent;
- Work together toward strengthening the efforts of the Zimbabwe people to achieve a peaceful resolution to that country's political and economic crisis;
- Initiate senior-level consultations on human rights,
particularly for women and children, including multilateral mechanisms;
- Deepen cooperation to end terrorism and the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction; and
- Intensify efforts to conclude a U.S.-SACU Free Trade
Agreement.
Our two governments will meet regularly to consult on bilateral,
regional, and multilateral issues of shared importance. We asked the
United States Secretary of State and the South African Minister of
Foreign Affairs to oversee bilateral consultations on these initiatives
and report to us in twelve months on concrete results.
We look forward to continuing our dialogue and to an even greater
cooperation at all levels in our governments.
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