Toespraak van minister-president Rutte bij een lunch met president Jacob Zuma van Zuid-Afrika

Toespraak | 17-11-2015

Mr President, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, Mr President, thank you for inviting me to South Africa and for the warm welcome we received today. Unfortunately, our visit has been overshadowed by the recent dreadful events in Paris. South Africa and the Netherlands share the same sense of outrage and anger at this barbaric assault on freedom.

Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. And with the people of Paris, who – despite their devastation – have found strength in standing together with a shared message: no fear. We support that message.

We will not be ruled by fear.

We will not be divided.

That is the best response we can give.

These attacks only underline the importance of countries working together to fight terrorism, challenge hatred and resolve divisions. And the Netherlands and South Africa are already doing precisely that, for example within the Global Counterterrorism Forum.

In fact, we've been working together for decades – in the political, economic and cultural arenas. And it’s all thanks to our shared history and longstanding friendship.

In preparing for this trip, I couldn’t help thinking back to 11 February 1990, when Nelson Mandela was released from prison. I watched the live coverage along with millions of other people all over the world. It was a vibrant moment full of happiness and hope.

And for my generation it was the 2th event in quick succession – after the fall of the Berlin Wall – that made us feel part of world history. It was unforgettable.

Back then, I was a history student at Leiden University. And now, a quarter of a century later, I'm here as prime minister of a country whose ties with South Africa date back hundreds of years.

Many, but not all the chapters in our shared history are good ones.

And that makes us all the more proud and thankful that, in the struggle against apartheid, the Netherlands was able to support the brave men and women who fought for freedom, equality and democracy.

The bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two countries are long-standing, robust and still growing. And that's why I'm here with the Netherlands’ largest-ever trade mission to Sub-Saharan Africa.

This underlines the immense Dutch interest in South Africa and the widely-shared belief that our common future holds the promise of prosperity for all. Mr President, the new South Africa is only 21 years old and yet it has made impressive progress in building a strong democracy, a strong society and a strong economy.

But there is still work to be done to ensure that every South African can look to their future, and their children’s future, with confidence. That's no easy task. It takes perseverance, problem-solving and a keen eye for opportunities to improve people’s daily lives.

So I'm pleased we’re continuing our partnership and even stepping up our efforts. We've just signed a number of MoUs that will enhance our cooperation at government level. One of them establishes a joint commission that will further expand and deepen our excellent relations. There are more than 70 Dutch companies in my delegation. They represent important sectors like agriculture, water management, logistics and life sciences. And they are all here for the long term, not for quick wins.

At the moment, 350 Dutch businesses are already active in South Africa, small and medium-sized enterprises as well as multinationals. Together they provide more than 100,000 jobs in this country.

And I can tell you that both the Dutch government and the Dutch business community are convinced that there is room for more. More partnerships. More economic activity between our countries. And as a result: more opportunities for people to shape their own future, and – in doing so – our common future.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to propose a toast.

To the future. To the wellbeing and prosperity of all South Africans. And to the lasting friendship between our 2 countries and our peoples.

Thank you.