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INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT• Economic growth vs Green Growth vs Sustainable Development

• Weakening UN and strengthening new formations G20, BRIC, G5,

• New emerging Global power bases (Brazil, India and China)

• What future global role will China play and what is its role in Africa?

• Political changes – How new Obama Administration will react and how will growing conservatism in Europe impact on Global agenda

• A G77 fraught with divisions and the potential to fracture

• Climate Change vs environment/ water vs poverty eradication

• Energy Security vs Energy Access & shifts in Energy sources.

• Growing demand for financial resources and major shifts towards market mechanisms as opposed to public funds

• Impacts of Global Economic Recession on future deals

• Role of Africa in the Global Arena and the role of South Africa in the continent

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SA PRIORITES FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• Continued prioritization of the African continent (Consolidating African

Agenda; institutional capacity, implementation of NEPAD; economic

integration)

• Strengthen South-South Relations (Increased cooperation with key

developing countries)

• Pursue a developmental and investment-oriented approach to

engagement with the industrialized world

• Reforming global institutions of governance (global system of

governance; equity in governance systems; new financial architecture)

• Strengthen economic diplomacy (China)

• Mobilization of financial and technical resources (New ways of

cooperation with donors post 2010;

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1. SHARED RIVER WATERCOURSES

Agreements and Commissions

Over the years a number of “Joint Water Commissions” and “Joint Technical Committees” have been established to discuss and negotiate issues of common interest, to manage the water resources or implement joint development projects

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Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP)SA/Lesotho • Signed in 1986• Commission (LHWC) is responsible for the overall

management of LHWP• Two agencies were established to implement the project,

namely:(i) The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA)

– to plan, design, construct, operate and maintain the components of the project in Lesotho

(ii) The Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) – to plan, design, construct, operate and maintain the components in

SA– to take responsible for all financial arrangements related to the

project• LHWC Phase 2 on Feasibility study agreement signed in 2005

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2. SADC Engagements

• SA chairs SADC since August 2008• SA participates in the SADC Water Sector

through DWA• Minister- DWEA chairs SADC Ministers of

Water• Chairmanship ends August 2009

• To be handed over to the DRC.

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3a. AFRICA - Bilaterals

Co-ordinate and ensure participation in the President’sprojects in Africa by giving support to post conflict reconstructionin Africa• Collaborations within Africa are with:

– Immediate neighbouring countries – SADC– Prioritized Post Conflict Reconstruction &Development

countries

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3b AFRICA - Multilaterals

African Ministers Council On Water (AMCOW)

• Continent’s Ministerial body dealing with water related issues;

• 53 African Ministers - To provide political leadership, policy direction and

advocacy in the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and maintenance of African ecosystems and strengthen intergovernmental cooperation to address the water and sanitation issues in Africa

• SA assumes Presidency of AMCOW for the period of 2 years in November 2009

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AMCOW

• SA to host 2nd Africa Water Week (AWW-2) on 6-13

November 2009• The council takes stock of the status of achievement of the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa• This council also shares experiences and strengthens

networks to enhance Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), South-South co-operation and relations with development partners

• AMCOW is a technical body of AU facilitating implementation of water imperatives as contained in NEPAD

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MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

• Biodiversity – 4 Components namely:

– Biodiversity use & conservation : CBD (Bio-safety, ABS, IKS,

L&R, Protected areas, biome conservation, science base); TFCA’s

– Species: CITES (Ivory trade, abalone); CMS (Turtles, sharks,

migratory birds

– Ecosystems: Ramsar (Listed wetlands, compliance); UNCCD

(Desertification in Africa)

– Heritage: World Heritage Convention (Listed sites, compliance)

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MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

Sustainable Development and Environmental MEAs

Sustainable development – Commission on Sustainable Development

Trade & Environment – WTO (Technical Trade Barriers, Environmental goods

& services; fisheries subsidies; intellectual property);

Chemicals & waste

• Basel (E-waste, dumping & recycling trade, ban amendment, SA hosts

regional centre);

• Rotterdam (Chemicals trade, Prior Informed Consent);

• Stockholm (POP’s phase out & regulation, 9 new chemicals);

• Montreal (key phase out of ozone chemicals, climate change);

• Mercury (Research issues & approach & negotiate new Convention);

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MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

• Climate Change

– Formal negotiation on new international regime beyond 2012 – 6 bodies

(Conference of the Parties COP, Conference of the Members of the

Protocol CMP, Subsidiary Bodies, Ad Hoc Working Group on the Kyoto

Protocol, Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action)

– Technical & scientific forum – Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate

Change IPCC & Working Groups

– Parallel Processes – Heads of State (G8, Major Economies Forum, UN-

Secretary-General, AU, IBSA); Ministerial (HoS prep processes,

Greenland Dialogue, Pre-COP); Negotiator (HoS & Ministerial Prep

processes)

– SA host COP 17 in 2011

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MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

• Marine – 3 Components namely:

– Environmental, conservation & resource management – includes

Conventions & Protocols on Marine Pollution, Dumping at Sea (High seas

pollution regulation, Climate change and Carbon Capture and Storage);

Antarctic, Regional Large Marine Ecosystems LMEs (Land based pollution,

ecosystem approach), whaling (Transform instrument); CITES (abalone)

– Resource use – Regional Fisheries Organizations

– Marine Governance – United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea;

Seabed Authority (Continental shelf); FAO COFI (Fishing code of conduct);

International Maritime Organisation (Climate change bunker fuels)

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MULTILATERAL RELATIONS

KEY ISSUES IRO FINANCE

• Main institutions: GEF, World Bank, UNDP, UNEP

• Active participant in the GEF Council and member of the GEF

replenishment committee – Influence policies and programmes of

the GEF; Donor to the GEF Trust Fund ( R 38 million)

• Member of the Board of the Climate Change Adaptation Fund

• Key player on issues related to International Environmental

Governance, UNEP GC/GMEF and GEF – UN and GEF Reform

• World Bank Climate Investment Funds (Member of Trust Fund

Committee of Clean Technology Fund - US$ 5 billion)

• Demand on DEAT resources (GEF Trust Fund, UNEP

Environment Fund, etc)

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AFRICA AND SADC

OVERVIEW

• AMCEN, SADC Environment and Tourism Forums, SADC Summit

• Regional Programmes – Environment programme of NEPAD, SADC-

Regional Strategic Integrated Development Programme, Africa Climate

Change Programme

IMPACTS AND CHALLENGES

• Chair and President of AMCEN (2008 – 2010)

• Hosted the 12th Session of AMCEN

• Leading the process in strengthening AMCEN and SADC

• Demand on DEAT resources

• (Trust funds US$ 200000, hosting of meetings R 5 million, etc)