ASEAN, South Africa inaugurate sectoral dialogue partnership
Earlier, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers granted the status of Sectoral Dialogue Partner to South Africa at the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July, 2023, in Indonesia. The First ASA-JSCC was held to provide direction and oversee all aspects of cooperation under the ASEAN-South Africa Sectoral Dialogue Partnership framework.
The
meeting adopted the Terms of Reference for ASA-JSCC and deliberated on
several areas of future cooperation. On the political sphere, the meeting
encouraged South Africa to explore cooperation in four areas of the ASEAN
Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), as well as in areas of peace and
reconciliation, and prevention and countering terrorism and violent extremism.
On the
economic front, the meeting encouraged South Africa to explore practical
cooperation in areas of mutual interest and benefits, including trade and
investment; public-private partnership; strengthening of Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); tourism; transport; energy; critical minerals
sector and mineral resources; information and communication technology; food
security; halal industry; sustainable agriculture; blue economy; digital
economy; fisheries; aquaculture and forestry; research and innovation; as well
as science and technology.
The meeting noted the four key economic partnership priorities that ASEAN would like to advance with South Africa, namely strengthening ASEAN’s market integration; sustainability and decarbonisation; digital transformation; and inclusive development such as MSMEs, public-private partnership and people-to-people exchanges.
On the socio-cultural sphere, the meeting explored cooperation in the areas of health, women empowerment,
education and climate change; and step up efforts to enhance people-to-people
contacts through exchange programmes involving youths, students, media and
artists as well as scholarship programmes.
The meeting also encouraged
South Africa to consider undertaking cooperation activities with the ASEAN
Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED), ASEAN
Centre for Climate Change, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), ASEAN Centre
for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD), ASEAN Regional Mine
Action Centre (ARMAC), ASEAN Foundation and AHA Centre. Further, the Meeting
also welcomed South Africa’s support for the implementation of the Initiative
for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan IV and the Master Plan on ASEAN
Connectivity (MPAC) 2025.
Both sides also agreed to
develop the ASEAN-South Africa Practical Cooperation Areas which will serve as
a guiding framework in achieving shared goals and corresponding priorities in
the coming years.
The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy
Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, Tran Duc Binh,
and Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and
Cooperation of South Africa Kwati Candith Mashego-Dlamini. It was attended by
Ambassador of South Africa to ASEAN Mpetjane Kgaogelo Lekgoro and members of
the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN or their representatives
and their respective delegations. Representatives from Timor-Leste were also in
attendance as observer./.