Embargo:
19:30 on Tuesday 29 August 2006 - Extract From
Speech Delivered by the Minister of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk at
the Signing of the Benguela Current Commission
Interim Agreement, Two Oceans Aquarium, 29 August
2006
TUESDAY, 29 AUGUST 2006: Honourable Minister from
Namibia, honourable deputy minister from Angola,
Ms Barbut of the GEF, Mr Melkert of UNDP, distinguished
delegates and guests, ladies and gentlemen; it
gives me great pleasure to attend this special
event of the Third GEF Assembly to reconfirm South
Africa’s commitment to the Benguela Current Commission
Interim Agreement.
This agreement is a manifestation
of the intricate partnerships that are essential
to the effective management of sensitive ecosystems.
Working together with Angola and Namibia, we have
demonstrated that where there is political will,
ways can be found to implement practical interventions
that impact positively on the livelihoods of our
people.
In addition to our regional
collaboration, we must also acknowledge the contribution
of GEF, the Norwegian and German governments,
Birdlife South Africa and the WWF in bringing
both the BCLME and BENEFIT programmes to life.
One concrete example of this is the progress we
have made in implementing early warning systems
to monitor the effects of climate change on our
ecosystem. This is not simply an elaborate academic
exercise - the human and economic consequences
of climate change are very serious indeed. The
impact on people of our coastal communities is
testament to this as they are worst affected by
increased storm activity and the migration of
fragile fish stocks in Southern and Western Africa.
The BCLME programme is not only
important for monitoring but also, crucially,
for hands-on collaboration and timely intervention.
Good management of hake stocks has resulted in
the creation of thousands of jobs and generated
significant foreign exchange earnings for South
Africa and Namibia. Shared stocks between our
two countries means that co-operation is essential
to ensuring that there are no irresponsible fishing
practices, which could have disastrous consequences
for both economies. Hake fishery accounts for
more than 50% of the wealth derived from South
Africa’s living marine resources, and sustains
more than 9000 jobs. These are just two cases
that illustrate the point that responsible environmental
management is a catalyst rather than an impediment
to people development and economic growth.
Technology transfer and capacity
building have also been key elements of the BENEFIT
programme. More than 100 young science graduates
from all three countries having received specialised
training in operational oceanography, modelling,
fisheries stock assessments and environmental
management.
In the years ahead, the Benguela
Current Commission will be seen as a major milestone
in regional cooperation and ocean governance within
a Pan-African network of Large Marine Ecosystems.
It gives me great pleasure to sign this agreement
on behalf of the South African government. We
are confident that the establishment of this institution
will create new opportunies for growth, employment
and sustainable management of our living marine
resources for the benefit of present and future
generations.
Riaan Aucamp (Minister's Spokesperson)
