David Miliband

South Africa - Zuma's inauguration

New South African President Jacob Zuma is being sworn in today.  He and the African National Congress (ANC) won convincingly in South Africa's fourth post-apartheid elections - with the queues of people waiting to vote reminiscent of those in 1994.

We will continue our high level of engagement with the South African Government; Mark Malloch Brown is representing the UK at President Zuma's inauguration and we are planning early meetings with ministerial counterparts.

This engagement matters.  First, South Africa is a key partner for the UK across many priorities and international fora, from the Commonwealth to the G20.  South Africa will have a key role in implementing the outcomes of last month's successful London Summit, and we share their concern that the international response to the economic downturn should meet the needs of both developed and developing economies.

Second, South Africa is a major regional player.  As a member of both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) it is key for the continent's response to its internal challenges.

Third, we face shared challenges in delivering successful, secure global sporting events: World Cup 2010 in South Africa and London 2012.

South Africa has a special place for anyone who became interested in politics in the 1980s.  It burst onto my consciousness one morning in the early part of the decade when a friend of my parents - Ruth First - was assassinated by the South African security forces.  The story of the fall of apartheid defied expectations.  The struggle to overcome its legacy continues.  

The sight of black democratically elected leaders in South Africa is still remarkable.  The problems are serious but so is the goodwill around the world to make sure that the struggle was worth it.

Posted at 08:43 09 May 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]