South Africa is committed to upholding the Antarctic Treaty which regulates international relations with respect to Antarctica – the world’s only continent without a native human population.
Environmental Affairs Minister Barbara Creecy said this on Wednesday during a keynote address at the launch of the 2019/20 Antarctica season in Cape Town at a ceremony attended by diplomats from 10 countries that use Cape Town as a gateway to Antarctica.
The minister said her government was “exploring ways to reduce the carbon footprint of our polar supply and research trip, the SA Agulhas II, during research expeditions.”
The minister explained how South Africa would continue to support the treaty, which has been in force since 1961 and currently has 54 signatories. It sets aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve.
“It’s very important that we should be setting up a research centre that will be dealing with logistical issues that will support the facilitation of research programs to the Antarctic,” Creecy said.
She added: “It’s important for South Africa as a gateway country to Antarctica that we set up research centres that support the logistical issues that support research programmed in Antarctica.”
NM/jn/APA