Deputy President Paul Mashatile has made a commitment to his Colombian counterpart, Francia Elena Márquez, that South Africa will participate in her country’s peace process.
Colombia is experiencing a persistent armed conflict where an alarming level of massacres and intimidation tactics are targeted at social activists.
The violence, which is mainly committed by non-state armed groups and criminal organisations, disproportionately affects indigenous and Afro-descendent peoples.
The Deputy President was on Friday hosting Márquez and her delegation at the Presidential Guesthouse, in Pretoria, during an Official Visit to South Africa.
Mashatile described Friday’s meeting as “historical”, as there has not been this kind of high-level engagement between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Colombia were formally established in April 1994, with Colombia opening its Embassy in Pretoria in 1995. Since the establishment of the South African Embassy in Venezuela in 1998, the South African residential Ambassador in Venezuela is accredited as the non-residential Ambassador of South Africa to Colombia.
“Even more so, for us, to host the first Afro-descendent and female Vice President of the Republic of Colombia, indeed, we are very honoured, Your Excellency and welcome this progress in our endeavour to have more women leaders,” the Deputy President said.
The engagement, according to Mashatile, also represents a significant milestone to lay the foundation and roadmap for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
He said both nations share values of democracy, peaceful resolution of conflicts, sustainable development, the rule of law and the reform of multilateral institutions.
“These shared values provided a good basis for building strong, results-oriented and mutually beneficial relations that will contribute to addressing our national development priorities,” Mashatile said.
He revealed that the discussions to achieve a pragmatic roadmap for bilateral cooperation focused on various areas, including agribusiness; defence; environment; mining; energy; science and innovation; sports, arts and culture; trade and economic relations, tourism and transport.
“We consider your visit significant in many ways, especially as we begin to reactivate our bilateral relations following the election of the administration of His Excellency, President Gustav Francisco Petro, in 2022.
“It is imperative that South Africa and Colombia, as progressive countries of the South and other like-minded partners, should strengthen our resolve to advance the development agenda of the South and global governance reforms, with a view of renewing and pursuing our collective global commitment to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” he added.
Colombia is the fifth largest economy in Latin America after Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. It is also the sixth largest trade partner of South Africa in Latin America after Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Peru.
