|
Joint Communiqué on the Meeting
between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of South Africa
and Equatorial Guinea, Pretoria
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini
Zuma, today Tuesday 17 February 2004, concluded her
bilateral meeting with her Equatorial Guinea counterpart,
His Excellency, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International
Cooperation and the Francophonie Pastor Micha Ondo Bile
for bilateral political and economic discussions, at
the Diplomatic Guesthouse, in Pretoria.
Minister Ondo Bile, accompanied by Minister Dlamini
Zuma, paid a courtesy call on President Thabo Mbeki
on Monday 16 February.
His Excellency, the Minister of Finance of Equatorial
Guinea, Mr Marcelino Owondo Edu and the Deputy Minister
of Mines and Hydro-carbons, Mr Gabriel Nguema Lima,
accompanied Minister Ondo Bile.
Minister of Minerals and Energy, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
and the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mandisi Mpahlwa,
accompanied Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The meeting assessed bilateral relations in the political,
economic, security and defence spheres.
In this regard, South Africa will send a multi-disciplinary
team of senior officials to Equatorial Guinea to elaborate
on areas of co-operation. This will be followed by the
convening of the Inaugural Session of the Joint Bilateral
Commission(JBC) whose dates will be finalised through
diplomatic channels.
Minister Dlamini Zuma and Minister Ondo Bile used the
occasion of their bilateral meeting to exchange views
on regional developments in the SADC and CEMAC regions
respectively.
The two Ministers also discussed the global politico-economic
situation and reaffirmed their support for the multilateral
system as the only viable vehicle for promoting peace,
security, stability and development.
Both Ministers further expressed their commitment to
NEPAD as a comprehensive and effective response to the
twin challenges of poverty and under-development on
the African continent.
Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the one hand held
discussions with Deputy Minister Gabriel Nguema Lima
to explore areas of co-operation in minerals and energy
sector.
Deputy Minister of Finance, Mandisi Mpahlwa on the
other hand held discussions with Minister Marcelino
Owondo Edu, in which technical cooperation in financial
matters with particular emphasis on tax collection and
revenue services was explored.
Ministers Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Pastor Micha
Ondo Bile concluded the bilateral meeting with the signing
of the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments
Agreement aimed at increasing trade and investment between
South Africa and Equatorial Guinea.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
17 February 2004
|
