• The UAE was the first Gulf Cooperation Council country to recognise the new democratically elected Government by establishing its embassy in Pretoria in 1995.
• The UAE is positioned as the trading centre of the entire Middle East, just as South Africa is the gateway to the African hinterland. Both the countries are economically vibrant and have enterprising business communities.
• Growing trade ties between the UAE and South Africa have resulted in the formation of the South African Business Group in the UAE with the objective of promoting business between the two countries. The group aims at helping both UAE and South African businesspeople establish useful contacts and increase bilateral trade.
• More than 100 South African companies have established themselves in the UAE. The number continues to grow. These range from well-known restaurant groups to companies in the construction and engineering, banking, energy, travel and hospitality, trading and human resource consultancy sectors.
• While the Gulf states are very rich in oil, South Africa is very rich in minerals, gold, diamonds, manganese, platinum and coal. Trade between the two sides is therefore poised for a long-term mutually beneficial course.
• South Africa is the largest economy on the continent and the only African member of the G20. Our country offers investors the stability of a strong infrastructure, opportunities of a vibrant emerging market and a climate that fosters growth.
• The UAE remains our largest trade partner in the region, with total bilateral equalling almost US$2 billion. The UAE is our 21st-largest export market. Fast-moving consumer goods (frequently purchased consumer products) to the UAE continue to dominate South Africa's exports, while oil is the biggest import.

• South Africa and Oman maintain a good and diversified relationship. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in October 1995 and South Africa opened its embassy in Muscat in 2002 while Oman opened its embassy in Pretoria in 2003.
• The upcoming Partnership Forum meeting between South Africa and Oman is expected to be used as a platform to review bilateral relations and explore further opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.
• Other than political relations in general, specific focus will be placed on cooperation in the fields of arts and culture, justice and constitutional development, higher education and training, agriculture and trade and investment.
• The potential for increased bilateral trade and investment with Oman is significant and discussions have commenced on possible joint investment initiatives on infrastructure projects in South Africa and on the African continent.
• In terms of trade relations, Oman has traditionally enjoyed a trade surplus, primarily due to its export of petrochemicals to South Africa.
• South Africa's main exports to Oman are chemicals, machinery and mechanical. Oman's main exports to South are electronic equipment. In 2010, exports from South Africa to Oman totalled R212,003 million while imports by South Africa from Oman amounted to R456,936 million.

South Africa is ready to welcome the United Nations and 194 world nations to Durban.

• South Africa is an experienced host of numerous successful international events with the most recent being the International Olympic Committee  General Assembly Session in Durban and the 2010 FIFA World CupTM.
• Government worked closely with the UN to ensure that South Africa hosts an international event which meets UN requirements with the UN confirming South Africa’s state of readiness.
• All logistical arrangements are in place. Security preparations dealing with a broad range of possible threats and disruptions are being implemented. Arrangements for the increased demand for air and ground transport are ready. A visa-free entry for UNFCCC-accredited attendees was implemented, while all other observers and delegates will follow normal visa procedures.
• The hospitality industry is geared to welcome the international community with the openness that brings close to 10 million visitors to our country each year.

South Africa, through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), will facilitate an outcome which is balanced, fair and credible; while at the same time preserving and strengthening the multilateral rules-based response to climate change.

• DIRCO was part of the climate change negotiations even before the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997. The department is familiar with the history and dynamics of this complex process, as well as the substance.
• In its informal consultations at ministerial, negotiator and stakeholder level during 2011, South Africa has emphasised the party-drive principle.
• South Africa believes the success of Durban will be measured in terms of the following:
  • The basic principles that must underpin UNFCCC climate-change negotiations are multilateralism, environmental integrity, fairness, (common but differentiated) responsibility, respective capabilities, equity and honouring of all international commitments and undertakings made in the climate-change process.
  • The Cancun agreements must be operationalised, including the establishment of the key mechanisms and institutional arrangements agreed to in Cancun. The Green Climate Fund represents a centrepiece for a broader set of outcomes for Durban. Developing countries demand a prompt start for the fund through its early and initial capitalisation.
  • We believe more should be done to make the Cancun agreements operational. Parties have no option but to deal with the outstanding political issues remaining from the Bali Roadmap. This means finding a resolution to the issue of the second Commitment Period under the Kyoto Protocol and agreeing on the legal nature of a future climate-change system.
  • Adaptation is essential for the outcome in Durban as it is a key priority for many developing countries, particularly small island developing states, least developed countries and Africa. The current fragmented approach to adaptation must be addressed in a more coherent manner that gives equal priority to adaptation and mitigation.
  • Any outcome in Durban has to be adequate enough to adhere to the principle of environmental integrity. In this context, the low level of ambition is a serious concern.

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to sustainable development and demands that Durban at least puts in place necessary building blocks to deliver an agreement that takes historical responsibilities into account.

• The citing by the International Energy Agency of 2010 being the year with the highest recorded emissions demonstrates the urgency with which the world has to deal with climate change. 
• If climate change is not addressed, its impact will undermine the developmental gains that have been achieved since 1994 and the progress made by South Africa, the Southern African Development Community and the African continent to reach the millennium development goals.
• A global response is the only effective and sustainable answer to climate change as a global challenge and the conference in Durban presents leaders with an opportunity to shape the future global response to climate change by providing the required political direction.
• South Africa seeks a global regime which ensures that climate change does not reach dangerous levels, while recognising that the priority for developing countries is to address poverty and socio-economic development.
• Africa, which is the continent most affected by climate change, adopted the African Common Position on Climate Change in 2011 and will speak from one voice during the climate negotiations.
• South Africa, through the Department of Environmental Affairs, which leads the South African delegation in pursuing the country’s interest at the COP17/CMP7 negotiations, is committed to unity of the African Group and a Common African Position in the negotiations.

• South Africa’s hosting of COP17/CMP7, as a developing country, demonstrates our commitment to address the global threat of climate change.
• The recently approved National Climate Change Response Policy will guide government’s approach to climate-change impacts and the transition to a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy – premised on the commitment to sustainable development and a better life for all.
• South Africa will implement nationally appropriate mitigation actions, which will result in the reduction of emissions by 34% in 2020 and by 42% in 2025.
• The extent to which South Africa’s commitment is achieved depends on the provision of finance, technology and capacity-building support by developed countries and through the UN climate change regime.
• South Africa will intensify work on understanding the vulnerabilities of the country and its people to the effects of climate change. A Team South Africa approach will be taken to COP17/CMP7 to showcase the country’s climate-response activities.