Indeed, that is correct. There were other questions about whether the departments were looking at this and what legislation was required. Of course, once the treaty is ratified we have to look at that. What I want to say is that things are changing pretty fast, even on the continent and in its way of thinking. Some of the things that are in the Abuja Treaty may change as we go along. We are looking at that and the House can rest assured that all the departments are on board. We will obviously take into account the pace of the development of the other regional blocs.
For the past two days I have been in Zambia, for instance. They were launching their free trade area, Comesa, which is the first bloc to actually have a free trade area. It is a very important step. There may be lots of problems, teething problems in its implementation, but nevertheless it is a very important step. The pace of development is not the same, and some regions may develop faster than others, but the important thing is that each region must try and make sure that its pace, its development is such that it can indeed form a building block for the integration of the rest of the continent. We will do all the work that needs to be done.
Allow me also to respond to one or two issues that were raised. One hon member raised issues that are not quite pertinent but may be on the fringes, including Aids. The member indirectly attacked the Government on how it is handling Aids and how it is handling Zimbabwe. I am not quite sure how it really relates to the treaty, but I just want to say, from where I sit, that it is indeed a shame that we South Africans do not realise that the attack that all these people are making on our President is also an attack on our government. It is an attack on all of us, particularly on this side of the House, namely the ANC.
What is the sin of the President in all this? His only sin is that he is talking for the poor. Whether one looks at Aids or Zimbabwe, or wherever he is being vilified, he is talking for the poor. He is talking about poverty eradication, and saying that an Aids campaign cannot be divorced from a campaign against poverty. What is wrong with that? What is wrong with that? That is his only sin.
One looks at everything, and at the bottom of it one sees that the President is talking for the poor in this country, the downtrodden, the discriminated against. We talk about the Abuja Treaty and the opposition bring all those things here. Why? It is because we have people like that hon member who said to me that I should go back to Nigeria. This is my country, my friend.