President Zuma leads a delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place in Australia

President Jacob Zuma will lead a South African government delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled to take place from 28 to 30 October 2011 in Perth, Australia. The CHOGM meets under the theme: “Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience”. 

The meeting will focus on food security, climate change, mining for development, polio eradication, sustainable development as well as strengthening the Commonwealth institutionally, including through promoting Commonwealth values such as democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

The items under discussion at the meeting are in line with South Africa’s Constitution and South Africa’s foreign policy objectives.  South Africa supports the reform of global political and economic organisations. 

As incoming President of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) serving as the Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, CHOGM 2011 is of great importance to South Africa to interact on the issue of climate change.

As well as participating in the CHOGM, President Zuma will take advantage of the meeting to hold bilateral discussions with his counterparts from various Commonwealth countries on various matters of mutual concern.

President Zuma’s delegation includes International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and senior government officials.

For further information, please contact Mr. Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, on 082 884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

OR Tambo Building
460 Soutspansberg Road
Pretoria

24 October 2011