Item 1446 - Mandela Speech at a Banquet Hosted in Delhi : Speech by President Nelson Mandela at a Banquet Hosted by President Sharma 27 March 1997, Delhi

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ZA COM MR-S-1446

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Mandela Speech at a Banquet Hosted in Delhi : Speech by President Nelson Mandela at a Banquet Hosted by President Sharma 27 March 1997, Delhi

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  • 1997-03-27 (Creation)

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Transcription of speech made by Mr Mandela

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(18 July 1918-5 December 2013)

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Migrated from the Nelson Mandela Speeches Database (Sep-2018).

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  • English

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TRANSCRIPT

President Shankar Dayal Sharma; Prime Minister Deve Gowda; Honourable Ministers; Your excellencies, Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps; Distinguished guests; Ladies and Gentlemen.
Our return to India in the space of two years and your warm welcome speaks volumes on the relationship between South Africa and India.
The groundwork we laid together during my last visit is already bearing abundant fruit, nurtured by the special bond between our nations and invigorated by the knowledge of how much we have to gain from each other.
Our strong bilateral relations and our active participation in regional and international fora, augur well for the contribution we can jointly make to peace and development for our peoples and for the world.
As a key founder member of the Non-Aligned Movement, India trod uncharted waters at a time when cold war imperatives threatened to deflect those emerging from the mire of colonialism away from their striving for self-determination and development.
Those goals are no less valid today. Indeed, the imbalances in the distribution of political and economic power persist, as do their consequences in poverty and insecurity for a large part of humankind.
As members of the Non-Aligned Movement we have a duty to continuously relate the movement's actions and structures to the attainment of its objectives in the current international political context. The coming Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers meeting in Delhi will be well-placed to address these questions. On our part, we view this meeting as an important part of the process towards the next Non-Aligned Summit which South Africa will be privileged to host next year.
As we broaden our relations into new associations, political freedom and socio-economic development remain our beacons.
The idea that the Indian Ocean could again become a factor unifying the nations on its shores, as it was in pre-colonial times, is taking substance in the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation.
The recent decision in Mauritius to proceed towards a charter is welcome progress. But it does confront us with urgent questions as to the path along which this association develops. All of us have an obligation to ensure that the Rim does indeed fulfil its promise as an instrument of socio-economic co-operation for the benefit for all its members and their peoples, and not only for some.
Beyond that lies the prospect of a beneficial linkage between Asia and Latin America in which Southern Africa's strategic location gives it a key role.
This is the broader context of the rapid expansion of political and economic co-operation between South Africa and India. These are the values which give meaning to our pursuit of flows of trade and investment between our economies.
It is in establishing a relationship that translates growth of our economies into benefits of development for our peoples that we remain true to the ideals which led the people of India to help bring about the demise of apartheid. Investments and joint ventures that mutually boost the productive capacity of our peoples through transfer of technology and skills; the matching of complementary strengths and needs; and development co-operation - all these are amongst the measures that will help achieve our goals.
Ladies and gentlemen;
We are encouraged by the rapid expansion of trade and diplomatic relations between our countries since South Africa achieved democracy. But the scope for co-operation is largely untapped. Our visit and the opportunities for discussion which it affords us will help identify further areas to strengthen our relationship in bilateral, regional and international affairs.
As we commemorate the seeds of Afro-Asian solidarity sown fifty yeas ago here in India, we can take pride in the progress we have made in so short a space of time in building relations between ourselves as two free nations.
Together we are turning the bonds forged in our joint march to freedom into a lasting partnership for peace and prosperity.
Allow me to propose a toast to the health of President Shankar Dayal Sharma and the people of India; and to the flourishing of relations between our Nations.

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Acquisition method: Hardcopy ; Source: Nelson Mandela Foundation. Accessioned on 08/02/2010 by Zintle Bambata

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