Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 42

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 42--Relative to a sister state relationship with the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
WHEREAS, The Western Cape Province of South Africa contains an amazing diversity of features and geographic subregions, including the arid Karoo, the lush Boland and Southern Cape hills and forest stretches, the rugged west and southwest coastlines, and the open grainfields in the western interior as well as the grazing fields of the Klein Karoo; and

WHEREAS, The Western Cape Province has one of the finest and most diverse natural environments in the world, with the fynbos kingdom probably the best known both inside and outside the country; and

WHEREAS, The economy of the region depends largely on manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism, and some of the finest wines in the world are produced in the Western Cape Province, while Cape Town has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world; and

WHEREAS, The most important industries of Western Cape Province consist of textiles, fishing, printing, and publishing; and

WHEREAS, The Western Cape Province has a population of approximately four million people, which represents 10 percent of South Africa's total population; and

WHEREAS, Cape Town is South Africa's largest city and the legislative capital of South Africa, and the seat of South Africa's Parliament; and

WHEREAS, The region is located at about 34 degrees latitude, and in the Cape Town-Boland area the climate is comparable with that of California's Mediterranean climate with warm summers and cool, wet winters; and

WHEREAS, The Western Cape Province shares many geographic and cultural similarities with the State of California; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California, on behalf of the people of the State of California, hereby extends an invitation to the people of the Western Cape Province, South Africa, to join California as a sister state, and to commit to the development of programs to foster social, economic, educational, scientific, and cultural exchanges in order to strengthen economic ties, and improve international understanding and goodwill between the two states; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Consul General of South Africa, to the provincial government of the Western Cape Province, South Africa, to the Governor of California, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.