Posts in category: Speeches

Programme Director,
Madam President,
Your Excellencies, Members of the Federal Council,
Ambassadors,
Members of the media,

It is a great honour to be here today on the first South African state visit to Switzerland since the dawn of democracy in our country.

This is an important milestone in our longstanding partnership and a testament to our mutually beneficial relations.

During our discussions today, we focused on international issues and the bilateral relations between our two countries.

We discussed cooperation in trade and investment, science and innovation, and higher education and training.

We noted that Switzerland is one of our major trade, investment and economic cooperation partners and we agreed that this visit will give our relationship new momentum.

This visit will not only raise the profile of our relations but contribute to better political and economic ties. It will foster greater cooperation and understanding between the people of Switzerland and South Africa.

We note with appreciation that Switzerland has recently launched its new Africa Strategy for the period 2025-2028, reflecting its commitment to supporting democratic processes, good governance and development.

We further noted Switzerland’s role in advancing peace and security within the United Nations and around the world, notably in various conflict areas on the African continent such as Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan.

I also used the opportunity to commend the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs for their significant contributions to improving the lives of South Africans through various initiatives to foster economic growth, sustainability and inclusivity.

The President and I had previously discussed the development of a youth cooperation framework, and I look forward to our further engagement in this regard.

We thanked Switzerland for its public support to our G20 presidency and the priorities of inclusive economic growth, debt management, support for multilateral development banks, climate change and the reform of global governance institutions.

South Africa and Switzerland are aligned in our pursuit of a more sustainable and resilient future.

We are pleased to sign two important instruments, promoting cooperation in arts, culture and heritage and in peace mediation and democracy resilience.

I conclude by thanking the Swiss Government for the constructive cooperation in the repatriation efforts of the heritage objects of the Nkuna Royal Family, which will now occupy their rightful place in Limpopo in South Africa.

Relations between South Africa and Switzerland have come a long way. From this State Visit, we are confident that they will go even further and achieve greater benefits for the people of both countries.

I thank you.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

www.thepresidency.gov.za

Your Excellency, Ms Karin Keller-Sutter, President of the Swiss Confederation,
Honourable Members of the Federal Assembly,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to speak here at the esteemed Parliament of the Swiss Confederation.

Yours is a country that is admired around the world for its democracy, prosperity and commitment to peace.

On behalf of the people and Government of South Africa, I convey my deep appreciation for the kind invitation, the warm welcome and the enduring friendship between our two nations.

Yesterday, in Neuchatel, sacred artefacts of the Nkuna royal family began their journey home after more than a century.

More than pieces in a museum, these objects carry the memory of generations and the identity of a people.

This act of repatriation speaks to who we are – both Switzerland and South Africa.

It speaks to our shared belief that dialogue can heal what conflict has broken, and that the dignity of every human being transcends borders and time.

South Africa remembers the Swiss citizens and organisations that stood with us in our darkest hours under apartheid.

This solidarity planted the seeds of friendship and cooperation.

South Africa and Switzerland are nations that believe in a just and peaceful global order.

We believe in the founding principles of the United Nations Charter.

We support joint solutions to common problems. We value multilateralism and the fair and consistent application of international law.

We believe that peace is not merely the silence after the guns have stopped.

Peace is about justice and development. It is about communities flourishing and economies growing.

South Africa supports Switzerland’s efforts to promote peace through mediation and diplomacy.

We welcome your active role in conflict prevention and humanitarian relief around the world.

Just as we share a desire to work together to build a better world, so too do we seek a partnership to realise the potential of our people.

Switzerland is one of South Africa’s main trading partners and a leading source of foreign direct investment.

Swiss investors are creating opportunities in South Africa, transferring knowledge and driving transformation – from finance to renewable energy, from pharmaceuticals to advanced manufacturing.

South Africa’s renewable resources combined with Swiss expertise in clean technology and sustainable finance can lead the way to a future that is green, just and inclusive.

Our commitment to infrastructure, industrialisation and digital innovation opens vast horizons for partnership.

Together, we can prove that economic growth and environmental stewardship are not adversaries but allies.

Together, we can drive empowerment.

Our vision embraces women taking their rightful place in the economy, young people igniting innovation and small enterprises growing into mighty engines of prosperity.

We see education, research and skills development as investments in human potential.

Our universities and research institutions are bridges between our peoples.

As South Africa and Switzerland, we must strengthen our cooperation in international fora, ensuring that the voices calling for peace drown out the drums of war.

We must deepen our economic ties, transforming investment into changed lives and strengthened communities.

The challenges facing our world are formidable, from war and conflict to inequality to climate change. But we have shown that we have the determination and the means to overcome these challenges.

This visit marks a beginning of the next chapter of our relationship.

This will be a chapter defined by lives transformed, thriving partnerships and a world that us more just, more peaceful and more sustainable.

Thank you for your friendship, your vision and your commitment to building a better world.

I thank you.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

www.thepresidency.gov.za