Speech delivered by Premier Winde on the occasion of the official opening of the 12th Regional Leaders’ Summit in Cape Town:
Honoured fellow heads of delegation
Dr. Markus Söder, Minister-President of Bavaria, Germany
Ms. Mary Waters, Chief Administrative Officer of Georgia, USA
Mr. Christopher Skeete, Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, Quebec, Canada
Mr. Felício Ramuth, Vice Governor of the State of São Paulo, Brazil
Ms. GE Huijun, Chairperson of the Shandong Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China
Ms. Michaela Langer-Weninger, Minister of Agriculture, Upper Austria, Austria
Honoured members of the diplomatic community,
Honourable Members of the Western Cape Cabinet,
Delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is my great honour to welcome you all to the 12th Regional Leaders’ Summit. We are deeply privileged to host this gathering of dynamic regions from around the world, partners who share not only our aspirations for progress but also our commitment to building resilient, prosperous and sustainable societies, where the needs of our residents and their wellbeing are of paramount importance to us all.
Our government is resident-obsessed. Everything we do – from offering quality services, accessible healthcare, and education, to building world-class, future-fit infrastructure and boosting safety – is to ensure that the people of our great province are equipped to get jobs and make a meaningful contribution to our economy.
This year’s theme, “Growth through Economic Resilience,” could not be timelier. Around the world, regions are navigating complex global shifts – economic uncertainty, disasters, and rapid technological change.
What defines economic resilience?
- Investment cooperation
- Trade collaboration
- Infrastructure development
- Technology and innovation
- Economic opportunity and workforce development
- Cultural Capital and sporting excellence (“soft power”)
These priorities are what make our regions work and solidify our partnerships; these priorities are why we are gathered here.
Amid the challenges we face lie opportunities: the opportunity to strengthen local economies, to innovate, and to build communities that can adapt, recover, and thrive.
The Western Cape stands ready to be part of that shared journey.
Our province has worked tirelessly to create an enabling environment for business, investment, and job creation, driven by sound governance, infrastructure development, energy reform, and a commitment to partnership. We believe that collaboration – between governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society – is the most powerful catalyst for resilience, especially in growing our economies together.
As we convene over the coming days, let us exchange ideas openly, share lessons honestly, and forge partnerships that endure long after this summit ends. Let this gathering remind us that while we come from different corners of the world, our challenges — and our opportunities — are shared.
May the 12th Regional Leaders Summit serve as a platform not only for dialogue, but for tangible action. Together, we can turn resilience into growth, and growth into shared prosperity.
2025 has been characterised by discernible uncertainty.
But it is at gatherings such as this that I am assured that we do not face uncertainty – in whatever form it may materialise – alone.
It is through summits such as this that I am reminded that we are stronger if we work together.
It is when we are confronted with crises that we come together, join hands, innovate, and demonstrate decisiveness. The lessons that we have learned are not forgotten but are built into how we work.
Everything we do in our government is directed at radically boosting economic growth to keep building a jobs-rich ecosystem.
In our province, we have a whole-of-government and whole-of-society culture: an acknowledgment that we cannot walk this road alone. We cannot work in siloes.
In my government, every second, every day, and every year matters. There is a saying I often return to: “Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.” For me, that urgency hasn’t faded; it has only grown stronger.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is this: The Western Cape succeeds because we step up. We do not wait for permission. We do not make excuses. We get things done. We plan, we partner, we innovate, and above all, we deliver.
As we work together at this summit, we must place the needs of the people we serve ahead of narrow interests.
One of the greatest values of this gathering lies not just in our diversity, but in our shared commitment to working more closely together to confront the pressing challenges facing all our regions.
As we prepare to sign the Joint Declaration at the conclusion of this summit, we can all agree that economic resilience is the product of market diversification; that investment is a necessity for growth, but at the same time is also a strategic instrument to nurture innovation and collaboration.
Welcome once again to Cape Town and the Western Cape, where innovation meets possibility, and where the spirit of partnership defines our progress.
Thank you, and I wish you all a productive and inspiring summit.
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Fun South African Fact: While the country only covers 1% of the Earth’s land surface, South Africa boasts 10% of the world’s bird, fish and plant species as well as 6% of its mammal and reptile species!