Dinner Speech to the Nordic Prime Ministers and the President of South Africa

Molde is known as the City of Roses. Roses are a symbol of love and friendship.

What could be more appropriate for this meeting between the Nordic colleagues and the President of South Africa?

Bjørg and I are proud to welcome you all here to our hometown.

President Mbeki, we are honoured by your presence here. I trust you find our dialogue as useful as we do on the Nordic side.

My country is an old nation, but a young state.

In three years, Norway will celebrate its 100 ^th> anniversary since independence.

That independence was gained peacefully, as a result of civilised negotiations.

Some ninety years earlier, Norway separated from another union, also then peacefully, regaining much national sovereignty.

No wonder that our companions in those unions, Sweden and Denmark, are our close partners to-day.

In a world where cultural unity and political understanding are much in need, we – the five Nordic countries – have the privilege and the obligation of a common heritage.

The obligation is to further expand our unity, to further bring forward our close-knit co-operation in so many fields.

We – the Nordic prime ministers - do not shrink from that responsibility.

We welcome it.

Nordic regional cooperation is part of our political, economic and social fabric. Consultations between politicians, civil servants, representatives of civil society and so many others are frequent and informal.

This fabric is based on shared values and on discussions between friends. It is based on the effectiveness of acting together in a complex world.

All the Nordic countries have good and longstanding relations with South Africa. Our friendship is strengthened by our common goal of a just and peaceful world order.

We share the belief in democracy and the rule of law. We share the respect for human rights. We see the necessity of international understanding and collaboration.

All this is the driving force behind our present and future cooperation.

At the beginning of a new century, many African nations are faced with enormous difficulties.

Yet, there is a new sense of confidence and responsibility among many African leaders.

Democratic processes are strengthened and communities mobilised. There is growing awareness of good governance. Through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development – NEPAD – African leaders are redefining their development policies, with real African ownership.

And you, President Mbeki, have been at the forefront of the establishment of NEPAD.

That partnership will do much to combat pessimism. It will do much to start a trend that points upwards.

At the Skagen meeting in 2000, the Nordic countries expressed our general support for the broad concept of NEPAD.

Now we will be discussing more concrete plans.

To-day, we confirmed that we seek a new partnership with Africa through NEPAD.

Ours is a supportive, collaborative role.

We will encourage the international community to provide resources so that African countries and organisations can play an active role on the continent.

We cannot expect the political and economic changes that NEPAD calls for to be achieved overnight.

Still, NEPAD holds the promise of African revival. We for our part stand ready to expand our commitment.

As you yourself have stated, Mr. President, Africa has decided to take the high road. Rightly so, because the challenges Africa is facing require courage. They require leadership.

Later this year, South Africa will host the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

The WSSD will probably be the largest international conference so far.

We will have to succeed in Johannesburg because the issues that determine our very survival are at stake:

The Johannesburg agenda is daunting. Yet, it offers a very real chance to demonstrate that the spirit of collaboration is alive and well, and working for the common good.

We will have a real chance of reducing world poverty, with a clear social and environmental conscience.

We, the Nordic colleagues, stand ready to do our share and expand our commitment to sustainable development.

Mr President, Nordic colleagues,

Our countries are far apart even when measured with the yardstick of a globalised world.

But our relations transcend this geographical distance and are beautifully expressed in a Norse poem of medieval origin:

A bad friend is far away,

though his cottage is close.

To a true friend lies a trodden road,

though his farm lies far away.

Northern Europeans and South Africans have certainly travelled that “trodden road.”

And we will continue to do so.

Mr. President, Nordic colleagues,

May I propose a toast to our excellent relations and to our continued cooperation.