South Africa is preparing to tell the international community that it is firmly committed to scientific research in Antarctica and, particularly, to creating research opportunities there for young black scientists.
This will be during the 27th annual Antarctic Treaty meeting, a 10-day event being held at Cape Town's International Convention Centre from Monday.
South Africa is one of 12 founder members of the treaty, which was signed in December 1959 and came into effect in 1961, and is hosting the meeting for the first time.
The treaty aims to protect Antarctica, the world's third-largest continent, and ensure that it is used exclusively for peaceful purposes.
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| 'We have some objectives in all of this' |
Signatories - currently 45 - agree that no activities there can support or deny claims for territorial sovereignty in Antarctica, effectively maintaining its status quo as a government-free continent.
Also, they agree there will be no nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive material, and to co-operate around scientific research.
The treaty's 1991 Madrid Protocol was signed to protect Antarctica's fragile ecology, and outlaws any commercial mineral exploitation for 50 years.
Horst Kleinschmidt, deputy director-general of the Department of Environmental Affairs, which houses South Africa's Antarctic division, is expected to be elected chairperson of what is formally called the Consultative Meeting at its first, informal session on Sunday.
The meeting will be formally opened by environment minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Monday.
| 'But those countries do have big issues' |
Kleinschmidt said the meeting would include sessions of the Scientific Committee on Antarctica, where South Africa would explain its vision for expanded scientific research on the continent.
"We have some objectives in all of this, and those are that we hinge and link ourselves far better into international collaborative science.
"And, of course, that we make this accessible to young scientists of colour, because it has been a uniquely white male show up to now."
The trip to Antarctica which Van Schalkwyk's predecessor, Valli Moosa, undertook last year in the company of his Norwegian counterpart Borge Brende, had raised the profile of this country's Antarctic involvement significantly, Kleinschmidt suggested.
"There was then a presentation to cabinet, and the new-found enthusiasm for South Africa's involvement at a level that was previously not there, stems from that."
He pointed out that the Department of Science and Technology was now also deeply involved.
"(Director-general) Rob Adam has since indicated his keenness by indicating to the scientific community that, in a phased way, the budgets for science on Antarctic issues will quadruple in the next few years.
"South Africa is far more keen to play a substantial role and to make its contribution."
Whatever South Africa did in Antarctica - both scientifically and in other fields - had to be communicated to the population at home, Kleinschmidt stressed, "because there is a real lack of knowledge about this".
Another key issue at next week's meeting would be of the impact of rapidly growing tourism in Antarctica. "It's been a theme that has become very prominent because of the very sudden and rapid increase in tourism."
SA was not particularly involved in Antarctic tourism as the area it serviced did not have a high tourism potential, he explained.
"There are no animals and it's not nearly as fascinating as tourism opportunities from places like Punta Arenas (Chile) and from Christchurch (New Zealand).
"But those countries do have big issues, and we are going to be strongly supportive of what countries like New Zealand raise with regard to the tourism."
He said this year's conference would, for the first time, appoint a permanent secretary-general for the treaty, which would formalise its structures.
See www.ats.org.ar/27atcm
- This article was originally published on page 11 of Cape Argus on May 21, 2004
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