Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ opening remarks before his meeting and closing remarks following his meeting with Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, Naledi Pandor (Pretoria, 24.01.2023)

Opening remarks

Your Excellency,

Allow me to say how extremely happy I am to visit South Africa, a visit long overdue. Thank you for raising the issue of the existence of the Greek Diaspora, we have almost 50.000 people here who participate in what we believe is and could be a huge success story. We have a very proud example, in the case of Georgios Bizos whom we admire and respect.

And Greece has a growing and active interest in Africa. Africa is one of the six pillars of our foreign policy and we would like to enhance our relations with South Africa, one of the most significant countries in the continent. It is, for us, obvious that you play a very important role as a member of SADC, the South African Development Community, and the African Union. And you will have the Presidency of BRICS also. So where else to go, if I may say so.

Bilaterally, we have excellent relations. Of course, that does not mean that we cannot do more. These relations are based on respect of International Law, International Law of the Sea as well; you have subscribed to UNCLOS, which for us is extremely important.

I would like publicly also to thank you and express my appreciation for your support in our effort to be elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2025-26. And, of course, I am so happy that we supported the candidacy of South Africa to the Human Rights Council for 2023-25. We are happy for that.

We support, also, the deepening of relations between South Africa and the EU. I am very happy that Vice-President Borrell is coming to Pretoria – and we have discussed this with you – together with three Commissioners. It is important that we help European investments in Africa. And I was very happy to hear the way you see things, how things could progress.

Having said that, thank you for seeing this meeting as an opening of a new chapter in enhancing our relations. Again, I am happy and proud to be in Pretoria today. Thank you so much for making time in your busy schedule to see me.

Closing remarks

First of all, for me, it was a great opportunity to build upon the very solid foundation of the relations with South Africa. We have an excellent cooperation in the international organisations starting with the United Nations. I am grateful to South Africa for your support in our campaign to be elected to the United Nations’ Security Council.

Also, we respect very much South Africa’s position on a big number of international issues. I have to underline again that South Africa is a supporter of UNCLOS, it has ratified the UNCLOS, the International Convention of the Law of the Sea. And also, it is a member of the Friends of UNCLOS. I invited South Africa to participate in the “Our Ocean Conference” in 2024, which we will organise together with the USA.

And we went through a list of sectors in which we could have a very successful cooperation; tourism, energy, yachting, education also. I think we have lots to do, lots to build upon this solid foundation.

I have to say, as the Minister said, I remember the last frame from Casablanca, “this is a beginning of a wonderful friendship”. This is not the beginning, because the friendship exists. This is the continuation of a wonderful friendship.

So, thank you so much for receiving me here, today, in Pretoria.