Thabo Mbeki quotes

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. (Thabo Mbeki)
South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
Many of our own people here in this country do not ask about computers, telephones and television sets. They ask - when will we get a road to our village. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
By all means, let's work together. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
Despite the advances we have made in our 12 years of freedom, we must also recognise the reality that we still have a long way to go... We should never allow ourselves the dangerous luxury of complacency, believing that we are immune to the conflicts that we see and have seen in so many parts of the world. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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! View quote
Thabo Mbeki
Those who oppressed us described us as the Dark Continent! View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. (Thabo Mbeki)
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
South Africa was to evolve into the most pernicious example of the criminal practise of colonial and white minority domination. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
Aids is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. I don't believe it's a sensible thing to ask: 'Does a virus cause a syndrome?' It can't. A virus will cause a disease. The syndrome is a group of diseases as a result of immune deficiency. As a result of immune deficiency you suffer various diseases. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. (Thabo Mbeki)
Science is always inquiring. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
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. View quote
Thabo Mbeki
One of the matters that must be addressed is that Rwanda and Uganda have to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We're also supporting processes to ensure that the political dialogue among the Congolese themselves takes place so that the people there can decide their future. View quote
Thabo Mbeki