EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICARUSKA 65, 100 00 PRAGUE 10

NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2015 (No. 4)

WORD BY THE AMBASSADOR

The month of April will forever resonate in the history of the South African nation. It was on 27 April 1994 that the first democratic elections took place in South Africa. It was the day that gave birth to constitutional democracy in South Africa and instilled clearly the notion that the country belongs to all who live in it. It is entirely appropriate that it is called Freedom Day. The year 2015 ushers in the beginning of the third decade of democracy and freedom in South Africa. Over the last two decades the country has worked hard to construct a society that serves all its people, addressing the economic, social and cultural challenges of the past. We are proud of the considerable progress that has been made and we hold very dear the dividend of democracy and constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. We also acknowledge that much remains to be done but for millions of South Africans, the country is today a much better place than is was 20 years ago. Although the Embassy was unfortunately not able to host a celebration this year to mark the day, we nevertheless rejoiced in this milestone in the country’s history. EVENTS/ EMBASSY’S PROGRAMME

Meeting at Foreign Ministry

The Ambassador and Mr ZM Dasa met the Head of the Sub-Saharan Department at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 21 April 2015 to inform him of the latest developments in the RSA.

Czernin Palace, seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prague

Opening of new university campusThe Ambassador attended the grand opening of the new campus of the Anglo-American University in the Thurn-Taxis Palace in Prague 1 – Malá Strana on 30 April 2015 The institution held a double celebration: it was also marking 25 years of existence.

Thurn-Taxis Palace, PragueSpring social meeting

2The annual spring social meeting was held at the Embassy on 17 April 2015 to mark the arrival of spring.

The table was decorated with spring flowers.Staff members brought typical Czech and South African dishes. The atmosphere was warm and festive, providing an antidote to the rather grey and cold weather on that day.

Ms Schoeman, Ambassador Verwey and Ms Mahmoud

Mr Dasa, Ms Nalevajková, Ms Růžičkováand Ms Schoeman

Ms Hlávková, Ms Dastychová, Mr Rubešová,Mr Stifter, Mr Dasa and Ms Nalevajková

Diplomatic functionsThe Ambassador attended several receptions in the month of April, including the joint reception hosted by the Benelux Embassies; the National Day of Tunisia and National Day of Mongolia; a lunch hosted by the

Ambassador of Kuwait to welcome the new Ambassadors of Algeria and Egypt; and lunches hosted by Ambassadors of Sweden and Mexico.

Bethlehem Chapel, Prague

The Ambassador also attended a benefit concert with performance by Ukrainian opera singers at the Bethlehem Chapel. New Ambassador of Algeria paid a courtesy call to Ambassador Verwey on 16 April 2015.Due to unforeseen circumstances, the planned Embassy’s National Day celebration on 20 April 2015 had to be cancelled.

STAFF NEWS/SA CITIZENS

Appointment of new Chauffeur

Mr Max Stifter, Czech–South African citizen was appointed as Chauffeur on 1 April 2015.

We welcome our new colleague and wish him much success in his new job.

Ms Radebe-Mothibe returned to PragueMs Puleng Radebe-Mothibe, Third Secretary at the Embassy, returned to the Czech Republic from RSA after giving birth to a baby

girl, Relebogile Nthabiseng Mothibe. The baby was born in Pretoria on 2 March 2015.

Congratulations!

DIRCO

Visit to CairoPresident Jacob Zuma visited the Arab Republic of Egypt from 01-03 April 2015 for consultations with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. The two Presidents agreed to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and to accelerate trade and investment.

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Presidents Jacob Zuma and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Picture: African News Agency

State Visit of President MugabePresident of Zimbabwe, Mr Robert Mugabe paid a state visit to South Africa from 07-09 April 2015 to meet his counterpart President Jacob Zuma. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed during the visit.

Mrs and President Robert Mugabe with President and Mrs Jacob Zuma, 8 April 2015, Picture: The Presidency

Africa-Nordic Ministerial MeetingInternational Relations and Cooperation Minister Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane hosted the 14th Africa-Nordic Meeting of Foreign Ministers in Limpopo Province from 09-10 April 2015. The meeting was attended by 17 African Foreign Ministers and 5 Nordic Foreign Ministers. The Africa-Nordic Ministerial Dialogue was initiated by late Swedish Foreign Minister Ms Anna Lindh in 2000.

SA-Spain ConsultationsDeputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Mr Luwellyn Landers led the SA delegation to the SA-Spain Annual Consultations in Madrid on 10 April 2015. Spain has become a major investor in the South African economy, especially in the renewable energy sector.

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South African-China ConsultationsMs Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation hosted her counterpart, the Minister of Foreign

Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Wang Yi for Bilateral Consultations in Pretoria on 14 April 2015.

Minister Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Minister with Mr Wang Yi during a press conference, Pretoria, 14 April 2015. Picture: Jacoline Schoonees

The consultations focused mainly on the implementation of the 5 - 10 Year Strategic Framework on Cooperation signed in 2014 and preparations for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

SA NEWS

Freedom Month 2015South Africa celebrated Freedom Month during April under the theme: Celebrating the Beginning of the Third Decade of our Freedom through Accelerating Radical Economic Transformation.

The South African National Day on 27 April 2015 marks the historic participation of all South Africans in the first democratic elections signaling the birth of democracy in the country.

President Jacob Zuma at the 2015 Freedom Day Celebrations, Picture: The Presidency

Xenophobic attacks in RSAAt least 7 people died and hundreds were displaced due to xenophobic violence against foreign nationals in South Africa in recent weeks, particularly from various African countries. The government immediately took steps to stop the violence; protect and assist displaced foreign nationals; and address the root cause of the problem. Several hundred

4suspects have been arrested. One good consequence of violence is that it spurred the majority of South Africans to express their outrage against the attacks and there were protest marches all over the country under “Stop Xenophobia” banners.

On 23 April 2015, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ms Nomaindiya Mfeketo held an Imbizo on ending attacks against foreign nationals themed Africa Unite: Phantsi ngeXenophobia.

CZECH NEWS

Prince of Monaco visited PragueAlbert II, Prince of Monaco, paid a three-day visit to the Czech Republic from 8 April 2015 to discuss cooperation, including investments by Monaco in the Czech Republic. He was accompanied by a large business delegation from the sphere of energy, IT, banking, pulp and paper, real estate and cosmetic industries. During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade and Monaco’s Chamber for Economic Development.

Albert II, Prince of Monaco and President Miloš Zeman, Prague Castle, 9 April 2015

President’s visit to VaticanPresident Miloš Zeman paid an official visit to Vatican on 24 April 2015. After a private audience with Pope Francis, President Zeman paid tribute to the late Pope John Paul II and Czech Cardinal Josef Beran and met Czech theology students. The President asked the Pope for blessing of symbolic stones of two hospices to be built in the Czech Republic and donated a copy of the famous Prague Infant Jesus statue to the Pope.

President Miloš Zeman and Pope Francis,Rome. 24 April 2015. Picture: Prague Castle

Czech-Polish consultationsThe Czech government hosted the third round of intergovernmental consultations between the Czech Republic and Poland on 20 April 2015. A Joint Declaration by the Prime Ministers, Environment Agreement and two Memoranda of Understanding were signed.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and his Polish counterpart Ms Ewa Kopacz

Former Czech PM Stanislav Gross diedFormer Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on 16 April 2015 aged 45 years. Stanislav Gross became Prime Minister for the Czech Social Democratic Party in July 2004 at the age of 34 as the Czech Republic’s youngest ever Prime Minister. He resigned from the post in April 2005 after a scandal over the financing of a luxury apartment.

Stanislav Gross (30/10/1969-16/4/2015)

Working Visit of Egyptian Foreign MinisterMinister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek received his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry at the Czernin Palace on 19 April 2015. Egypt will be the guest of honour at the Book World Prague 2015 fair in the month of May.

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Ministers Sameh Shoukry and Lubomír Zaorálek, Prague, 19 April 2015, Picture: MFA

Biggest Czech aviation museum opened

The biggest Czech aviation museum opened in Mladá Boleslav on 12 April 2015.

Its construction took 3 years and cost the region over CZK 170 million. The museum has a collection of 25 historical planes.

Aviation museum in Mladá Boleslav

Ebola screening at Czech airports cancelledThe Czech Republic’s chief hygiene officer cancelled screenings for Ebola at the country’s five international airports (Prague, Brno, Pardubice, Ostrava and Karlovy Vary) on 29 April 2015. No case of Ebola was registered in the Czech Republic.

Winner of 2015 Cape Epic in PragueBiker Jaroslav Kulhavý met his fans in the the Cyklo 69 s.r.o. in Prague on 2 April 2015. Kulhavý and his Swiss partner Christoph Sauser won the 2015 Absa Cape Epic biking adventure of 748 km with 16 000 m of climbing from the University of Cape Town to Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville which took place from 15 to 22 March 2015.

Jaroslav Kulhavý in Cyklo 69 s.r.o, 2 April 2015

For more information about the South African Embassy in Prague please visit our website: http://www.saprague.cz