On behalf of the African National Congess and its alliance partner the South African Communist Party, and on behalf of the people of South Africa whom we represent, we extend our revolutionary greetings.

We believe this conference will be yet another milestone contributing to the achievement of a people-centred, new, equitable and just economic world order which will contribute in creating a better world for all who live in it. Indeed political parties as representatives of the people, both in government and outside government have an important role in addressing these challenges. We in the continent of Africa have adopted the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), as a program to tackle issues of peace, governance, economic growth and development (which involve trade, the eradication of poverty, education, development of infrastructure, information techonology, food security, conflict eradication and resolution, debt eradication etc.). We have declared this century as that of Africa’s development.

Our parties and civil society organizations in the continent are grappling with the challenge of effective participation in the implimentation of NEPAD as we believe governments alone cannot succeed without mass participation of the people. We thus see this conference of Asian Political Parties as an experience we have to take back to our continent’s political parties who are to also create a continental forum to deal with these challenges. At government level the African Union has been established, replacing the Organisation of African Unity (O.A.U.) and also a peace and security organ. Parliamenterians have established the Pan African parliament.

As the ANC we are looking into the formation of a broad international solidarity movement to deal with the present challenges of world peace, human security, unilateralism, and the transformation of multilateral and Bretton Wood institutions.

The inability of the rampant market forces of capitalism to address the systemic crises in a number of socities is increasingly evident. Despite the numerous investor-friendly policies adopted over the past decade in a number of countries, capitalism continues to be excessively export-oriented, capital intensive and labour shedding. There are low-levels of fixed capital investment and home markets remain constrained.

It is in this context that serious attention to strong party building, national development, economic growth, regional security and multilateral cooperation become urgent and very important.

But without transformational struggles in the socio-economic and political spheres, and without progress towards more just societies, the great majority of those from developing countries have fewer prospects and means to enhance political confidence and economic cooperation.

It is our belief that the Asian Political Parties gathered here, will deliberate critically and constructively on these issues.

We wish you success.