Ja, South Africa agree on co-operation in key areas
JAMAICA and South Africa have decided to pursue practical co-operation in a number of areas, including scholarships, research and science and technology, Prime Minister P J Patterson told reporters yesterday.
The Jamaican prime minister also announced that South Africa, which co-hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup, had agreed to make its expertise available for the 2007 competition, which will be hosted by the West Indies Cricket Board.
He was speaking at a joint press conference between himself and South African President Thabo Mbeki, at Beaches Grande Sport in Ocho Rios, St Ann.
Patterson said that while no agreement was signed during the bilateral talks, details of the implementation procedures are to be finalised by the foreign ministers of both countries by September.
Patterson said yesterday’s working luncheon between the South African president and Caricom heads focused on global issues facing developing countries in the region as well as on the African continent, and examined ways in which co-operation among these countries can be intensified.
“I am very determined to build a strong and active partnership between South Africa and Jamaica and between the African Union and Caricom,” Mbeki said at the press conference
The theme of unity among developing countries in the next round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks was also raised yesterday by the South African president, following on his guest lecture at Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies on Monday where he insisted that “WTO negotiations must produce results that are in our favour, in favour of our efforts to eradicate poverty and overcome the scourge of underdevelopment”.
And Patterson said that the members of Caricom and of the African Union were intent on ensuring that the interests of the developing countries will not be overlooked at that WTO meeting scheduled for September 10-14, 2003.
Today is the final day of President Mbeki’s state visit to Jamaica. He will continue holding bilateral meetings with Caricom heads of government in Montego Bay, before delivering the keynote address at the 24th Conference of the Heads of Government at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Mbeki departs Jamaica from the Sangster International Airport immediately following a press conference at the Ritz Carlton this evening.