South African Deputy Ministers to Participate in the Great Lakes Regional Women's Meeting in Rwanda: 7 - 9 October 2004

Kigali - Two South African Deputy Ministers and an MEC of the Gauteng Province will represent South Africa at the Great Lakes Regional Women's Meeting scheduled for Thursday -Saturday 7 - 9 October 2004 in Kigali. Rwanda.

These are Deputy Ministers of Trade and Industry and Minerals and Energy, Lindiwe Hendricks and Lulu Xingwana respectively, Gauteng MEC for Housing, Nomvula Mokonyane and Nonqaba Mosunkutu, a member of the South African Women in Dialogue.

The Conference will address the role of women in the context of efforts aimed at promoting peace and security in the Great Lakes region in particular whilst drawing from experiences of other women in other parts of the continent of Africa in general.

South Africa's participation in this Conference will seek the consolidation of efforts aimed at nurturing an environment which promotes peace, stability, democracy, good governance and sustainable development can strive.

The participation of the South African delegation builds upon efforts initiated by Mrs. Zanele Mbeki, in encouraging interaction among women of Burundi and the DRC.

Delegates to the Great Lakes Regional Women's Meeting hope to table their resolutions in this regard at the Great Lakes Conference scheduled for Tanzania in November 2004.

Issued by Nomfanelo Kota at 082-459-3787

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag x 152
Pretoria
0001

6 October 2004