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Cape Town - South Africa has welcomed the deal struck between six world powers and Iran regarding the country's nuclear programme, International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said on Wednesday.
In a statement on international developments, Nkoana-Mashabane said the agreement between the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom) plus Germany (P5+1), with Iran had the South African government's full support.
"This historic agreement is testament to the success of a negotiated and diplomatic solution, to which South Africa had steadfastly and continuously lent its full support," Mashabane said.
"We further welcome the announcement that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran had concluded a roadmap to resolve outstanding issues regarding Iran's nuclear programme by the end of 2015."
South Africa, in association with the position of the Non-Aligned Movement, welcomed the lifting of sanctions against Iran and further reiterated its support for Iran's inalienable right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
"We look forward to the resumption of normal bilateral economic and trade relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran once sanctions have been lifted," the minister said.
A successful Brics summit
The minister said President Jacob Zuma led a South African delegation to the recent Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Russia, which ran from Wednesday to Thursday last week.
"It is important to recall that Brics member countries play an important role in the global economy, with an aggregate GDP exceeding $32trn, which is a 60% growth since the foundation of Brics and which accounts for almost 30% of global GDP," Nkoana-Mashabane said.
"At the summit, the Brics leaders announced that their respective domestic ratification processes for the establishment of the New Development Bank and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) were concluded."
The first meeting of the bank’s board of governors took place on Wednesday last week in Moscow, marking an important milestone in getting operations at the bank underway.
The Brics finance ministers also finalised the appointments of the new president of the bank, its vice presidents, including South Africa's Leslie Maasdorp, and the board of directors.
"The non-executive directors were also appointed. Among them is South Africa’s Tito Mboweni, former governor of the South African Reserve Bank," the minister said.
"President Zuma provided an update on the progress that has been made towards opening the New Development Bank African Regional Centre (ARC). A temporary location for the regional office has been identified in Johannesburg," she said.
Among its first priorities would be the early identification of projects to be considered for funding by the bank.
The respective leaders also expressed their appreciation on the signing of the inter-central bank agreement, an important step towards implementing the CRA.
Regarding peacekeeping in Africa, Nkoana-Mashabane said more work was needed to strengthen the relationship between the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) and the UN Security Council.
