Annual Review 2000-01: Minister's Foreword

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism’s strategic contribution to the economy of our country is now well established. In opening Parliament this year, our President called on us to dedicate this year to “building unity in action for change”. We are guided by the ideals of building a new society.

In the past year we have already started contributing to this call through raising awareness about the achievements of our country, highlighting what it has to offer its people through job creation and a better life, and what it has to offer the world through the promotion of responsible tourism.

One of the strong elements that comes across in this review is the extent of “reaching out” the Department has done over the past year, working with other Government departments and agencies, partners in civil society and our international friends. This has enabled delivery through an integrated approach to development.

We highlight the work that we have done with our regional neighbours in terms of tourism marketing (RETOSA), transfrontier conservation areas, and in assisting with infrastructure (for example, the Weather Bureau assisting Mozambique with forecasts). We are working closely with Namibia and Angola on our shared fishing resources.

We have signed a number of agreements with (among others) Norway, Finland, the UK, Iran, Algeria, Japan, and have dealings with the GEF, UNEP, the UNDP and the World Bank. Most of these agreements involve grants or technology transfers. Details of these contained herein give a sense of our full participation on the global stage.

Following our successes in the Antarctic, we are helping Australia with its cat problem. We will also be working with Australia and France on the Patagonian Toothfish problem.

In this review, we note with pride South Africa’s accession to international Conventions like CITES and Rotterdam. We are also honoured to be chosen as hosts for the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002 to be held in Johannesburg, offering Africa the opportunity to put its issues on sustainable development high on the world’s agenda. Also notable is the fact that the potential tourism spin-offs from this event are enormous.

We are reflecting unity in action through the joint initiatives we are taking up with other Government departments. A few examples to mention are the Department of Minerals and Energy on the asbestos problems as well as with the Departments of Labour and Health on the Thor Chemicals issue.

Some of other major strides we made this year are in:

Poverty alleviation through the Poverty Relief Fund.
The transformation of the tourism industry.
Marine and coastal matters (sorting out quota system and fisheries management).
Drafting a national conservation strategy.

We will approach the coming year even more determined to grow tourism and to manage the environment with the ultimate objective of strengthening Government’s objective of ensuring there is a better life for all. For us it is also clear that such success can only come about through unity in action with partnership and joint programmes with other sectors of Government, communities, NGOs and the private sector.

Mohammed Valli Moosa Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism