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| PRESIDENT ZUMA ATTENDS 22ND AFRICAN UNION (AU) SUMMIT |
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| The theme of the summit is "2014 – Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa, Marking the 10th Anniversary of Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme". |
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President Jacob Zuma is attending the 22nd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly on 30 and 31 January 2014.
The summit agenda includes issues of food security, the status of peace and security in Africa, Africa's relations with the International Criminal Court, the implementation of New Partnership for Africa’s Development projects, the African Common Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
President Zuma presented South Africa’s “APRM Report” for the period October 2010 – January 2013, in pursuit of the objectives enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the AU.
Following the celebration of the Golden Jubilee on the existence of the Organisation of African Unity/AU in 2013, the summit was expected to deliberate on the process of finalising the continental vision for the next 50 years, called Agenda 2063, a view of Africa in the next 50 years as discussed in various fora across the continent, including the first AU Ministerial Retreat, held from 24 January. |
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| FIRST AU MINISTERIAL RETREAT REFLECTS ON AFRICA’S AGENDA 2063 |
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| Hosted by the Ethiopian Government in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the three-day retreat discussed the framework for Agenda 2063, the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Commission (2014 to 2017), and revisited AU structures, decision-making processes and its implementation mechanisms for effective delivery on set objectives. |
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Members of the AU Executive Council converged at a ministerial retreat, which kicked off on 24 January 2014, in the Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar, under the theme “Defining Agenda 2063 for Africa”.
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, AUC Chairperson, noted in her opening remarks that as Africa just emerged from the collective reflections on Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance that grounded its golden jubilee celebrations, and as it looked ahead towards the next 50 years, the retreat presented an opportunity to revisit some of the debates, in a more convivial atmosphere.
She said that the decision of the Chairperson of the Executive Council to have this retreat on the Africa Agenda 2063 is well-timed, with a view “to enable this august body to add its collective contribution towards the Africa we want and the milestones we must set towards this end”.
Agenda 2063 will be considered by the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government on 30 January, and the final adoption is expected to be done at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly in June/July 2014. |
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SOUTH AFRICA WELCOMES THE SIGNING OF TWO AGREEMENTS TO END THE CONFLICT IN SOUTH SUDAN |
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| South Africa views the signing of the agreements as key developments in resolving the political differences in South Sudan and crucial moves to bring the country back onto the road to development and stability. |
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The South African Government welcomes the signing on 23 January 2014 in Addis Ababa by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army – SPLM/A (in opposition) of Agreements on the Cessation of Hostilities and the Status of Detainees, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
South Africa calls on the two parties to ensure that the two agreements be fully implemented and that the two sides continue their unconditional cooperation with IGAD to ensure an improvement in the humanitarian situation in South Sudan.
South Africa wishes to call on all other leaders in South Sudan as well as broad civil society to support the implementation of the agreements and assist with the process in finding a lasting solution to the conflict.
South Africa expresses its sincere gratitude to the leadership of IGAD, especially Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia, and the other heads of state and government of the region, the IGAD Mediation Team chaired by Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin (Ethiopia) and comprising General Lazaro Sumbeiywo (Kenya) and General Mohamed Ahmed M El Dabi (Uganda) in securing the signing of the two agreements. |
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SA HOSTS FIRST-EVER MEETING OF CCJA |
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The CCJA was established by presidents and representatives of African constitutional courts and courts of equivalent in Algeria in May 2011. This was in response to an African Union resolution on the establishment of an African framework for constitutional justice, passed in Uganda in July 2010. |
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In a significant move aimed at reaffirming the independence and important role of judiciaries in Africa, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, hosted the first-ever meeting of the Executive Bureau of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa (CCJA) in South Africa.
The meeting was held from 28 to 29 January at Sun City, in the North West. Chief Justice Mogoeng is one of the vice presidents of the CCJA having been elected in Cotonou, Benin, in May 2013. |
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| SOUTH AFRICA HOSTS ABIDJAN CONVENTION BUREAU MEETING |
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| The Abidjan Convention is about cooperation in the protection, management and development of the marine and coastal environment of the Atlantic coast of the West, Central and Southern African region. |
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South Africa, through the Department of Environmental Affairs, hosted the Abidjan Convention Bureau meeting in Cape Town on 27 and 28 January 2014. The Bureau meeting was held in preparation for the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Abidjan Convention, which will also be held in Cape Town from 17 to 21 March 2014.
The Abidjan Convention Bureau is a high-level body established under the Abidjan Convention to monitor and provide political as well as technical guidance to the Convention Secretariat on the implementation of decisions made by the contracting parties. It is also responsible for the hosting of convention meetings such as the forthcoming COP11. The bureau consists of members of the contracting parties, with the Congo Brazzaville as the Chair; South Africa as first Vice Chair; Benin as second Vice Chair; Gambia as first Rapporteur; and Cameroon as the second Rapporteur.
The Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, led South Africa’s delegation to the bureau meeting, which reviewed the implementation of commitments made under the convention and consider progress in the organisation of the regular meeting of contracting parties under the convention. |
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DEPUTY MINISTER FRANSMAN ATTENDS THE INAUGURATION OF MADAGASCAR’S NEW PRESIDENT |
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| The inauguration of the newly elected President is the conclusion of a long process that started with the signing in September 2011 of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-mediated roadmap on the return of Madagascar to constitutional normalcy, by 10 of the 11 Malagasy political stakeholders. |
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The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Marius Fransman, represented President Jacob Zuma and the South African Government at the inauguration of Madagascar’s President-elect, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, on 25 January 2014.
Deputy Minister Fransman, in his capacity as Special Envoy of President Zuma, played a leading role in the negotiations of the roadmap during South Africa’s tenure as Chair of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. |
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TUNISIA ADOPTS CONSTITUTION AND APPOINTS NEW GOVERNMENT |
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We wish President Moncef Marzouki, as well as the newly formed Government of Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa, all the success in this final stage of the transitional period and assure you of the friendship and support of South Africa towards the Government and people of Tunisia. |
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The Government of South Africa has congratulated the people of the Republic of Tunisia on the occasion of the adoption of their new Constitution.
“Three years since the revolution of 14 January 2011 and just over two years since the start of their mandate, the elected representatives of the people of Tunisia have shown the world and the African continent in particular, the value of dialogue, consultation and consensus.
“This historic document serves as proof that African countries can address their own challenges and produce organic legislation which meets the demands and aspirations of their people,” government said in a statement.
It said that despite many challenges to the security and stability of the country and the region, the people, elected officials and government of Tunisia had remained steadfast in their determination to reach this significant milestone in their quest for the establishment of a democratic dispensation.
“Tunisia has, in the adoption of this Constitution, overcome the adversities it was facing and become a shining example to the region and it is hoped that its example and experience can be drawn upon by others. The influence and success of the National Dialogue process on the achievement marked today, cannot and should not be ignored by others undergoing a democratic transition as both South Africa and Tunisia have shown the value of an all-inclusive process in negotiating a democratic transition.
“While the road to a democratic transition in Tunisia is in its final stages, we express our confidence in the Tunisian people to culminate their transition in the first full democratic elections under this new Constitution in the very near future. South Africa remains committed to support democratic transition on the African continent as well as in the Middle East and North African regions through sharing of our own experiences of its own democratic transition 20 years ago this year.” |
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SA TO HOST FIRST BRICS SCIENCE MEETING |
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The Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, will host the two-day event, which will be attended by science ministers from the BRICS countries. The meeting is one of the activities agreed to at the Fifth BRICS Summit held in Durban last year. |
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The first Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) ministerial meeting on science, technology and innovation will take place in Kleinmond in the Western Cape from 10 to 11 February.
The ministers will table a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation between the five countries in science, technology and innovation.
On the second day of the event, the BRICS ministers will visit the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) site in Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, where the MeerKAT radio telescope, a precursor to the SKA, is being constructed. – Source: www.southafrica.info |
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LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO AND GIPSY KINGS SHARE WORLD GRAMMY |
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Ladysmith Black Mambazo, whose rhythmic a cappella performances preserve the musical traditions of South Africa's black mine workers, shared the Grammy for their live album “Singing for Peace around the World”. |
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South African traditional choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo and flamenco fusionists the Gipsy Kings, both long-time favourites at the Grammys, share the award for best world music album.
The Gipsy Kings were nominated for a record sixth time for the Grammy for best world music album but won the award for the first time with “Savor Flamenco”.
The choir dedicated the work to late anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela and promised to donate proceeds of the album purchased on the band's website to the former President's charity, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
The Grammy was the fourth won by Ladysmith Black Mambazo on the band's own. – Source: www.news24.com |
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BLITZBOKKE TRIUMPH IN LAS VEGAS |
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| The victory was especially significant for the South Africans, who conceded only two tries during the entire tournament and managed to stay unbeaten in their successful march to a third win in four years in Las Vegas. |
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South Africa successfully defended their Las Vegas Sevens title when they defeated New Zealand 14-7 in another dramatic and tense Cup final between the two rugby rivals.
The teams were tied 7-all at half-time.
The win also gave South Africa a slender lead on the HSBC Sevens World Series standings. They trailed New Zealand by two points at the start of the tournament, but a second successive win in as many World Series events in Port Elizabeth and Las Vegas saw South Africa climbed to the top of the log on 78 points. – Source: www.news24.com |
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