Media Statement
21 September 2018
President Cyril Ramaphosa leads South African Delegation to UN General Assembly
President Cyril Ramaphosa will embark tomorrow, Saturday 22 September 2018, on a Working Visit to New York where he will lead the South African delegation to the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
This marks President Ramaphosa’s inaugural participation in UNGA as Head of State and Government. President Ramaphosa will participate in the annual General Debate which is the occasion for world leaders to gather at UN Headquarters to discuss global issues.
President Ramaphosa and other world leaders will meet in New York from 25 to 27 September 2018 under the theme: “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful equitable and sustainable societies.”
The theme is inspired by the commitment of Ms Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, President of the General Assembly (PGA) to making the United Nations a more relevant, efficient, transparent and democratic organisation.
The UN General Debate will be preceded by the unveiling of a statue of President Nelson Mandela and the historic Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, a high-level plenary meeting convened by the PGA in honour of the centenary of the birth of South Africa’s first democratically elected president.
The Nelson Mandela Peace Summit will be an opportunity for Heads of State and Government to commit global support towards ending conflict in the world and on the African Continent in particular, in line with the African Union’s aspirations of “silencing the guns by 2020”.
In his inaugural address at the UNGA, President Ramaphosa is expected to outline South Africa’s domestic and foreign policy goals and priorities. These include the country’s land reform programme aimed at fostering greater stability, inclusiveness and transformation within the South African economy.
The President is further expected to lay out South Africa’s priorities for its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council from 2019 to 2020.
While in New York, President Ramaphosa will meet with CEOs of major global companies as part of the drive to attract foreign direct investment in order to ramp up the South African economy.
This will form part of the build-up to South Africa’s International Investment Conference which will take place on 26 and 27 October with a focus on bringing investment of $100 billion into the South African economy over the next five years.
President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ms Lindiwe Sisulu; Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Rob Davies; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula; Minister of Finance Mr Nhlanhla Nene and Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President on 072 854 5707
ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/
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