Thabo Mbeki Quotes (54 Quotes)

If you sit in a position where decisions that you take would have a serious effect on people, you can't ignore a lot of experience around the world which says this drug has these negative effects.

I don't' particularly see why health should be treated as a specialist thing and the President of a country can't take Health decision.

Pope Benedict XVI assumes leadership at a critical time in which the world's collective wisdom and leadership including that of the religious community is most important to face up to challenges of deepening poverty and under-development afflicting many people of the world.

They (the people) put us in positions of power so that they should thrive and not so that we should seek to lighten the burden of our ponderous titles by transforming ourselves from elected and accountable politicians into self-serving tycoons,

We will act together to build a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it, both black and white.

I never said that. Pure invention. Pure invention,

Those who oppressed us described us as the Dark Continent!

The government of Zimbabwe is committed to the absence of violence in this country,

Clearly, we cannot allow such a critical part of African history to die, because such a death would mean erasing an important link to our glorious past,

It wouldn't sit easily on one's conscience that you had been warned and there could be danger, but nevertheless you went ahead and said let's dispense these drugs.

We've had a long wrangle with the pharmaceutical industry about parallel imports, and what we were saying is we want to make medicines and drugs as affordable as a possible to what is largely a poor population.

... the people of South Africa salute and express their humble gratitude through the National Orders to the distinguished men and women who are the stars of our firmament, by admitting them to the ranks of those who belong to the esteemed National Orders of the Cradle of Humanity, the high pedestals on which will stand the human beings who have made it possible for us to live and develop in a world of freedom, without the fetters of oppression,

I had the opportunity to see the country from the air and I could see apartheid, ... I could see where the rich white people live, and next to it where the poor black people live.

Now has come time for action.

A matter that seems to be very clear in terms of the alternative view, is what do you expect to happen in Africa with regard to immune systems, where people are poor, subject to repeat infections and all of that. Surely you would expect their immune systems to collapse.

Well, because lots of questions had been raised about the toxicity of the drug, which is very serious.

I say that why don't we bring all points of view. Sit around a table and discuss this evidence, and produce evidence as it may be, and let's see what the outcome is, which is why we are having this International panel which we are all talking about.

Help us to fully restore Africa's dignity as together we undertake a journey of hope crowned by the 2010 World Cup.

And therefore it's a matter that we discussed, and I am quite sure that the Zimbabwe government will take the necessary steps to have that matter addressed,

I think a lot of the discussion that needs to take place about the health and treatment of people does seem to be driven by profit.

The instability has gone on for far too long. The levels of poverty and conflict are increasing, and if you add to that a fraudulent election, it has to be avoided,

This particular controversy has not impacted on government whatsoever.

Mr. Oppenheimer played a seminal role in the industrialization of South Africa over a period spanning most of the 20th century, ... Through his work, he bequeathed to our country not only an industrial empire spanning the length and breadth of South Africa, but also major legacies in the fields of education, the arts and community development.

We are convinced that the risen masses must stand at the heart and in the vanguard of the great historic process to eradicate the legacy of slavery, colonialism, apartheid and neo-colonialism.

China will emerge as one of the principal partners of South Africa... and we agreed that given the scope and depth of relations that will develop, we will establish a joint commission to incorporate all of these elements,

You and your administration have treated us with dignity, whatever our differences on specific matters, with sensitivity to our problems in an unwavering commitment to help us resolve these,

The poor prey on one another because their lives offer no hope and communicate the tragic message to these human beings that they have no possibility to attain a decent standard of living.

We want a peaceful resolution. We would not want to see any kind of war in the Middle East because it would be disastrous for Africa.

Together we have travelled a long road to be where we are today. This has been a road of struggle against colonial and apartheid oppression.

If we only said safe sex, use a condom, we won't stop the spread of AIDS in this country.

Everybody in the region is interested to assist in the process of finding a solution to that conflict,

It's very worrying at this time in the world that any point of view should be prohibited, that's banned, there are heretics that should be burned at the stake.

That surely must be a concern to anyone who decides this drug must be given to stop transmissions, again from mother to child, which is extremely costly and must be taken into account.

This intervention shows that it's possible to go into the least-developed areas -- to the rural people -- and bring them into the modern era.

One of the things that became clear, and which was actually rather disturbing, was the fact that there was a view which was being expressed by people whose scientific credentials you can't question.

As a consequence of the victories we have registered during our first ten years of freedom, we have laid a firm foundation for the new advances we must and will make during the next decade.

I get a sense that we've all been educated into one school of thought. I'm not surprised at all to find among the overwhelming majority of scientists, are people who would hold one particular view because that's all they're exposed to.

I am very pleased with the particular focus he is paying to South Africa and to the African continent, generally,

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.

I don't imagine Heads of Government would ever be able to say I'm not an economist therefore I can't take decisions on matters of the economy; I'm not a soldier I can't take decisions on matters of defence; I'm not an educationist so I can't take decisions about education.

South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white.

When will the day come that our dignity will be fully restored, when the purpose of our lives will no longer be merely to survive until the sun rises tomorrow!

The other thing is where they are suffering just as much, if not worse, than we did under apartheid is the fact that they have no way of saying what they feel or how they perceive what is happening because the independent press has all been suppressed.

South Africa was to evolve into the most pernicious example of the criminal practise of colonial and white minority domination.

It must not be heard, it must not be seen, that's the demand now. Why is Thabo Mbeki talking to discredited scientists, giving them legitimacy.

They've directed us to move ahead first with our program of reconciliation and development, so the goal for a better life for all is achieved sooner rather than later.

The (energy) sector that you represent is central to global economic and social development and, therefore, has enormous possibilities to contribute to an atmosphere of optimism affecting all countries, especially the developing countries,

What all of us have said on the continent is the actual African experience over the last 40 years shows that where you don't have democracy, where you've got military governments, where you've got civil conflict, where you've got no observation of the rule of law, then all of these things need to be addressed as a basis for development.

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.

We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history, enjoyed such a confluence of encouraging possibilities.