Dear friends ,

We are reaching the end of what has been a truly extraordinary day for me and my delegation. I have visited this area once before, but the drive today from Umhlanga via Umpumolo to Eshowe has shown us the great beauty of what the poets describe as "the green hills of Zululand". It has also given me an insight into the rich and varied culture of the Zulu nation and the many historic ties that link our peoples together.

Thank you, Mrs Hawke, for the guided tour through the local museum with its small, but very interesting collection of memorabilia left by Bishop Schrøder and his early missionary colleagues from Norway.

Norway's long history of involvement with South Africa probably started with the missionaries who arrived in Zululand in the 1850s. They were followed by sailors and whalers, who made Durban a major Norwegian shipping centre with a large Norwegian population .

Many of you are of course familiar with the history of the early missionaries and how they crossed the Tugela and penetrated into Zululand. King Mpande and his wheelchair are well represented here in the Eshowe museum.

Relations between the missionaries and the monarchy – and the local population - have not always been equally cordial.

We have to acknowledge that controversies did arise, and conflicts ensued. The role of a museum such as this must be to provide an honest and objectively comprehensive account of the past history of its community.

I am happy to be able to announce tonight that Norway will contribute 270 000 Rands to the museum. This will be used to upgrade and develop its documentation on the role of the foreign missionaries in the development of this area, and to arrange the planned exhibition of indigenous culture.

Norway’s more recent involvement in and support for South Africa’s liberation struggle and the anti-apartheid movement are well known. Today, cooperation between our two countries is firmly established, in many fields. When former President Nelson Mandela visited Norway last year, we signed an agreement which extended our development cooperation for a further five years, until 2004. The Norwegian contribution for the next five years totals approximately 300 million Rands. Most of this is tied to bilateral government-to-government cooperation, but a significant proportion is distributed through the non-governmental sector, including organisations here in this province.

This is an indication of Norwegian interest in South Africa and of our continued commitment to the peaceful and democratic development of your country.

I am particularly happy that representatives of the Norwegian People’s Aid and the Eshowe CBO network are present here today. The Minister of International Development and Human Rights was shown some of their activities this afternoon. The grassroots movement and efforts to empower disadvantaged population groups have always been a priority for Norway, and I am pleased to see that this community has strong traditions in this regard.

My programme for this visit also includes a major business seminar in Johannesburg. The Norwegian business sector has been showing considerable interest in South Africa, and I am sure this will continue to increase.

My visit, of course, also has an important political dimension. South Africa and Norway have formally agreed to meet regularly at political level. Over the last few years there have been many such occasions, and this time I have been happy to discuss several issues with President Mbeki in Pretoria and with Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who also accompanied me this morning in Umpumolo.

Norway has worked closely with almost all the countries of Southern Africa for more than three decades. We maintain a strong interest in the region. Our overall aim is to help bring the fruits of democracy and social and economic development to the peoples of Southern Africa. The views of your leaders on developments in the region are important to us, as are their views on urgent international issues.

I would like to highlight just one of these here, namely the international efforts to regulate and restrict the flow of small arms. I know that this question is very pertinent in this province.

I was happy to witness the signing of an agreement in Pretoria yesterday whereby Norway will provide financial support for the South African programme for the destruction of a large stockpile of small arms.

This morning I attended a church service in the old Norwegian mission of Umpumolo. The service was dedicated to the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, which has hit this country and province so hard. The Zulu nation has faced many enemies in its turbulent history and has a proud tradition of tackling danger head-on. But AIDS is a killer unlike any other we have met and it is taking a frightening toll. I am encouraged that you are facing this danger and assure you that we will assist you. Norway is involved in a regional programme to fight AIDS, and I announced this morning at Umpumolo that we are negotiating an agreement to provide approximately 1 million Rands over the next few years for these efforts.