Deputy President's Zuma Meets With OAU Ambassadors at the Third African Development Forum, Addis Ababa

Deputy President Zuma today assured ambassadors of the Organisation for African Unity that the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) was not in competition with the Organisation for African Unity/African Union.

The Deputy President was allaying fears of some delegates at the Third African Development Forum conference, which he is attending in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who felt the programme might be in competition with the African Union, or could be a parallel process to the new AU.

Deputy President Zuma made the comments at a briefing meeting he hosted for OAU Ambassadors on a number of issues, including NEPAD, this afternoon, 7 March 2002.

"NEPAD is a programme of the OAU, and was adopted by Heads of State of the OAU, so there can never be a question of it being in competition with the AU/OAU programme of action", the Deputy President said.

He said the fact that Heads of State were hands-on and actively driving NEPAD made the programme unique and effective, as it was able to cut the red tape.

"NEPAD will certainly enhance the work of the AU and should be supported by all in the continent, including civil society", he said.

Earlier in the day, the Deputy President had a discussion with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

Deputy President Zuma will tomorrow, 8 March, address the plenary of the ADF and is scheduled to return to South Africa in the evening.

The ADF is an initiative led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, with the aim of, among other things, establishing an African-driven development agenda.

The theme of the conference is "Defining Priorities for Regional Integration" and focuses on regional economic integration in the context of the commitment of African heads of State to found the African Union.

For more information please contact Lakela Kaunda at 092511173135 (Addis Ababa).

Issued by The Presidency

07 March 2002


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