New Zealand Executive Government Speech Archive

The fact that we are here at all today is huge testimony to the distance that has been travelled in the development of relations between South Africa and New Zealand during the last couple of years. Through the grim years of apartheid there was no question of New Zealand having a diplomatic mission in South Africa.

But with the first majority-elected Government in 1994 followed by the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President, it very rapidly became clear, just as it did for many countries around the world, that a new era in relations with South Africa was about to begin.

It is very important that this should happen. Not just for the obvious reasons of encouraging trade and investment, tourist links, political links and so forth. All of that is important and will be a major focus of the High Commission here.

After the grinding decades of apartheid, and the many changes that have now taken place since that iniquitous system was finally overthrown, it is essential for us to get to know the new South Africa quickly. There have always been rather special links between us - historically, our soldiers fighting side by side in two world wars and, most obvious of all, our traditional rivalry on the rugby field.

We probably have more in common today than ever before. We are keen competitors for markets in traditional primary produce, we work together closely in many international fora - including Antarctica, the United Nations, the Commonwealth.

And we are still close rivals in sport. I cant say strongly enough how much pleasure it gave New Zealanders to follow the fortunes of the All Blacks playing in a world rugby tournament in a South Africa free of apartheid. If the All Blacks had to lose to anybody, then I believe that most New Zealanders (and, indeed, many rugby fans around the world) were pleased that it was to South Africa.

But only once! Another area where we share close parallels is in the task of building a genuinely multicultural society. While we have been doing it rather longer than you we havent got it totally right yet, and I dont pretend to have all the answers.

However, I am optimistic about the future and believe developing closer cultural links will be an important element in our getting to know each other better.
That is why I am here in South Africa this week.

And it is why I am opening this New Zealand High Commission in Pretoria. I hope that it will not be long before South Africa is able to open a resident mission in Wellington. We have very good links with the South African High Commission in Canberra which is accredited to New Zealand, but we would certainly be pleased to see a South African diplomatic presence in New Zealand.

You would be made most welcome. There is no question that relations have expanded rapidly between us over the last couple of years. Trade, from a small base, is growing strongly. You are doing rather better than us at present. It will be a priority for our new team here, and the Tradenz effort in Johannesburg, to seek out new opportunities in this resource-rich country of yours.

Importantly, I believe that there are real opportunities for both of us not only trading in the traditional commodities but in finding new niche market opportunities and seeking out joint venture possibilities. Already that is happening. The New Zealand Dairy Board has, of course, had a long-standing presence here.

Sealord has become active in the fishing sector and the New Zealand firm, MAS Technology, is also close to signing off on an exciting new joint venture project. I am sure that there are opportunities in other sectors as well, including forestry.

I also believe there is value for South African business representatives to consider strategic alliances and joint venture possibilities in New Zealand.

There have been fundamental changes to the New Zealand economy over the last few years. From being a heavily protected, regulated economy, New Zealand is, today, one of the most competitive countries in the world with low inflation, low unemployment, a deregulated labour market, sustained, and sustainable growth and an open, liberal foreign investment climate.

We welcome foreign investment. We need it, as we have always needed it, for our own development and it is very pleasing to note in this regard the increasing number of South African business representatives travelling to New Zealand to seek out new opportunities there.

I believe the New Zealand-South Africa Business Council will have a very useful facilitating role to play in this development. People to people links are expanding rapidly too. The number of tourists is increasing something like forty percent each year. And we have also been very pleased to be able to welcome a number of highly specialised and professional South Africans who have chosen to migrate to New Zealand.

It is certainly not our intention to rob South Africa of its much-needed intellectual talent. But this free movement of people is an important component in getting to know each other better. We all benefit.

Air services negotiations are to be held between New Zealand and South Africa later this month. I hope this might also lead to direct air links being established between us. That will make it even easier for people to travel between our two countries. Our High Commission here in Pretoria will be a small one, and not totally up and running until October.

It will be highly focussed with High Commissioner Brian Absolum and his team concentrating on giving greater definition to a relationship which has expanded so rapidly in just a few years.
You are all welcome to visit.

We hope that you will come and that, whatever your line of business, you will feel free to discuss with us how the relationship between our two countries might further be enhanced.

I believe there is huge potential across a whole raft of areas - political, economic, cultural, sport - for the New Zealand-South Africa relationship to flourish. And I believe there is the will, energy and commitment on both sides to make it happen. It now gives me great pleasure to declare the New Zealand High Commission, Pretoria, officially open.