The Second Session of the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC) between Uganda and South Africa started Thursday, July 7 and will run up to July 12, 2022, at the Serena Conference Centre in Kampala.
While opening the ceremony of the senior officials meeting, Amb. Ndumiso Ntshinga, Deputy Director-General Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, said the Agreement establishing this JCC between the two countries was signed on 23 July 2010.
Its Article 5 makes provision for Senior Officials to meet annually and the Ministers biennially, alternately in South Africa and Uganda.
“Our first engagement under the auspices of the JCC was held in Pretoria in November 2012. Regrettably, and due to circumstances beyond our control we have not been able to meet again under this JCC mechanism since 2012,” Amb Ndumiso noted.
He thanked Ambassador Arthur Kafeero, the acting Permanent Secretary of Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senior officials, Ambassador Kintu Nyago and the staff at the Ugandan High Commission in Pretoria who ensured their travel to the Pearl of Africa.
He recalled the longstanding historical relations between Uganda and South Africa which date back to the struggle against colonialism and apartheid.
“Your beautiful country was home to many of our compatriots and heroines, who didn’t only experience your warm hospitality but also received training and life skills which empowered them to make a meaningful contribution to the building of a new, non-racial and democratic South Africa.”
At the 34th Independence Day Celebration in Kampala, on 9 October 1996, late former President Nelson Mandela, said: “The people of South Africa cannot forget the role that the government and people of Uganda played in supporting their liberation. Thank you for your selfless support, most freely given when it was most needed.”
“Your commitment to freedom and justice contributed to the situation where South Africa today is a united, non-racial and non-sexist democracy,” Mandela added.
Amb Ndumiso told the officials that they have a mammoth task to reflect on how far Africans have come in continental efforts to attain African unity in addressing the common and shared socio-economic, political and security challenges.
“Colleagues, we meet today during the year that marks twenty years since the transformation of the Organisation of African Unity to the African Union (AU) on 9 July 2002. In two days, our mother-body, the AU turns twenty and we have a lot to celebrate.”
Amb Ndumiso said his delegation was looking forward to celebrating this important and historic milestone of the birthday of the AU “with you brothers and sisters”.
