| Mauritius,
August 16th 2004 - What are your goals coming into the SADC
Summit?
The SADC summit is one of the most important activities
of the region, especially as it relates to the integration
of the region and the continent. Any step that moves this
integration forward is very important.
The reduction of poverty and
unemployment is also a major issue that particularly touches
South Africa…
Yes, and during the Summit we have been looking at economic,
social, political, security and democracy issues, finding
ways to work together and help one another.
Regional participation in NEPAD [New Partnership for Africa’s
Development] is also important, in terms of collaboration
on various projects, as well as the finalization of SADC’s
organisational restructuring.
|
(continues)
In
his opening speech, President Benjamin William Mkapa of Tanzania
seemed to say that democracy should not have
the same standards as it has in western countries. Is that
what he was really saying?
In fact, he was really saying that democracy is not a “one-size-fits
all” system. Every country has a different way of expressing
its democracy, and it is entirely up to us to address this
issue.
Democracy must have the same standards as in the west, yet
nobody should be able to impose the same system in every
country. Nobody should choose for us – we should have
the same choices and each person should have the right to
express its own liberties and have the same choices as in
any western country. |
Interview
with H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, 