United States Department of State (Washington, DC)
Johnnie Carson
10 June 2009
(Page 2 of 2)
The ties between our two countries extend far beyond the official, government-to-government relations that are my daily focus. Private American citizens and institutions have been engaged with all levels of South African society for more than a century. Whether they came as teachers, doctors, nurses, or on Sister City exchanges, they opened up an important and progressive dimension to our bilateral relationship long before governments did so. In fact, their hard work pushed our own government to oppose apartheid more aggressively.
So where do we stand now? Where is our relationship with South Africa headed?
On March 19, Secretary Clinton met with Ambassador Nhlapo and the then South Africa Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss potential areas for bilateral cooperation. In that meeting, the two ministers agreed to talk more about planning and identifying those issues of mutual interest following the outcome of the South African elections. With a new South African foreign minister in place, we intend to continue our discussions. We will focus on:
These areas provide a great deal of scope for moving our relationship forward and serving as a roadmap for establishing a positive agenda for collaboration between our two countries. In addition to further developing our bilateral relationship, we will continue to collaborate on key regional issues including the situation in Zimbabwe, regional trade, and peace and security initiatives. Success will depend on our shared commitment and willingness to work together transparently.
In closing, we in Washington and Pretoria must find the proper mechanisms by which to build and strengthen our relationship in order to help South Africa fulfill its ambitions and dreams. President Obama is pushing for this as well. In a demonstration of his commitment he recently announced his intention to nominate one of his closest political associates, Mr. Donald Gips, to serve as the next Ambassador to South Africa. If confirmed, Mr. Gips will bring a valuable set of political skills and close ties to the President with him when he arrives in South Africa.
Promoting economic growth, improved health and a safer and more democratic world are key shared objectives for both our nations. It is a pleasure to be here to recognize the importance of South Africa and the commitment of the Obama Administration to forge a stronger relationship with one of Africa’s most important and dynamic states.
Thank you again for this opportunity.
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Johnie Carson must be a comedian. My son was murderd in Accra, Ghana on January 1, 2008. He and his people have done nothing except reward Ghana for their blocking of this investigation. He refuses to answer any questions. He does not care about Americans, only himself.
Active Discussions: The Future of U.S.-South African Relations