South Africa’s (SA) Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga engaged Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to SA, where they formalised bilateral relations through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
The agreement establishes a framework for stronger collaboration and co-operation, while creating opportunities to exchange expertise and best practices in policy development and implementation.
SA and the Netherlands say the agreement is designed to move beyond commitments on paper by setting out practical steps for implementation.
The partnership is aimed at advancing equality, empowerment and the meaningful participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities.
Speaking to Channel Africa after the signing ceremony, Chikunga, said the agreement is intended to translate co-operation into action, with clear timelines and accountability built into its implementation.
“It talks to how best do we mobilise resources, both as Netherlands and as SA, or even working together, and those resources that we can get from within ourselves, but also from international bodies. But more than anything, it then sets timelines for the working plan of the Memorandum of Understanding itself. That will be your chapter, your chapter five, and therefore it commits not only us as politicians, but even our officials, to say within such timelines, you’ve got to produce the working plan, and it has got to be implemented.”
–ChannelAfrica–
