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Thabo Mbeki Quotes

South African Politician

Thabo Mbeki is a prominent South African politician who served as the President of South Africa from 1999 to 2008. He dedicated his political career to promoting democracy and economic development in South Africa and actively participated in African continental political affairs.

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All People South South Africa Needs Matter Economy Government Ifs Country Should Capacity Particular Continents Problem Process Has Beens Instance Issues Said Black

Famous Thabo Mbeki Quotes

“It is quite easy to understand what China would need from the African continent with regards to its own economy, raw materials, oil and a market for manufactured goods. As I say it is not difficulty to understand and perfectly legitimate. There is nothing wrong with that.”

Needs Easy Difficult Economy Materials Regard China Oil Goods Continents Raw Materials African Continent

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“I am sure that it wouldn’t be in the long-term interests of China which would continue to depend on these African resources for a very long time to see the emergence of any sense of hostility animosity, tension, da da da, between itself and the African continent.”

Long Term Interest Depends Long Time Resources China Long Term Tension Continents Hostility Emergence Animosity African Continent

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“You cannot just depend on the market, because the market will say: China needs oil; China needs coal; China needs whatever, and Africa has got all these things in abundance. And we go there and get them, and the more we develop the Chinese economy, the larger the manufacturing is, the more we need global markets - sell it to the Africans which indeed might very well destroy whatever infant industries are trying to develop on the continent. That is what the market would do.”

Needs Trying Wells Might Economy Depends Industry Sells China Oil Chinese Abundance Continents Coal Infant Manufacturing

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“China surely must be interested in a more stable, non-antagonistic relationship with the African continent precisely because of its own needs. And therefore would have to say in our own interests, as China, it is necessary that we participate in the process of the development of the African continent.”

Needs Process Interest Development China Stable Continents African Continent

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“Read a textbook. It will tell you. These are the things for instance on the African continent that will contribute to immune deficiency, various tropical diseases because of poor infrastructure, general levels of poverty don’t get treated. Syphilis untreated or not properly treated, which as it happens is a big problem as I hear, gets treated, the symptoms disappear but in fact… it … that impacts on the immune system. You’ve got to deal with these things.”

“I must say that, in the first instance, we got the request from many African countries who said, look, you people had better host the Parliament. So, the general feeling around the Continent was that it would be better that the Parliament was based here. In part, because of what this country has done with regard to establishing a democratic system, and we have responded to that. We have said, fine.”

People Firsts Looks Said Country Done Feelings Would Be Fine Regard Democratic Instance Host Continents Parliament Request

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“What moved us was not so much what would it do for South Africa, but there has been a great keenness on the Continent that the location of the Pan African Parliament must add to its credibility. And, so we said, fine, it's a contribution to this process of the democratisation of the African Continent.”

Has Beens Said Process Fine Moved Add South Contribution Continents South Africa Location Parliament Credibility African Continent Keenness

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“Certainly the Government has tried to handle the matter of our relations with the rest of the Continent in a very sensitive manner.”

Matter Government Relation Handle Sensitive Continents

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“We would continue to handle our relations with the rest of the Continent with that kind of sensitivity.”

Kind Relation Handle Continents Sensitivity

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“I don't think there would be many examples of South Africa pushing its weight around the African Continent. I don't think the facts would substantiate that argument.”

Thinking Facts Would Be Example Argument Weight South Pushing Continents South Africa African Continent

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“The concern around probable questions, which in a sense have been hidden, will grow around the world and the matter is critical, the reason we are doing all this is so we can respond correctly to what is reported to be a major catastrophe on the African continent.”

World Has Beens Matter Reason Grows Majors Concern Critical Around The World Continents Catastrophe African Continent

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“Those who oppressed us described us as the Dark Continent!”

Dark Continents Oppressed Swagger Swag

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“I think the Internet is absolutely extraordinary. It's very, very useful and I think one of the things we've got to do is make sure that the African continent gets on to that information super highway.”

Thinking Information Internet Extraordinary Continents Highways African Continent

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“We will continue to count on your unwavering support and commitment to working with leaders of our continent in bringing about the desired renaissance of Africa.”

Leader Support Commitment Continents Renaissance Unwavering

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“As Africans, we need to share common recognition that all of us stand to lose if we fail to transform our continent.”

Ifs Needs Loses Common Failing Share Recognition Continents

Author:Thabo Mbeki

About the Author

Born: June 18, 1942
Known for: South African Politician
Quotes: 169

Books & Sources

Africa Define YourselfRelated source material

Africa: the time has come : selected speechesRelated source material

Speech of Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki, at the ANC National Constitutional Conference, March 31 to April 2, 1995, World Trade CentreRelated source material

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