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President Mbeki to Lead the South African
Delegation to the SADC Heads of State and Government
Meeting, Port Louis, Mauritius, 12 - 17 August 2004
President Thabo Mbeki, accompanied by the Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will lead
the South African delegation to the SADC Heads of State
and Government Meeting from Monday, 16 - Tuesday, 17
August 2004. This will be preceded by the Council of
Ministers Meeting from Friday, 13 August - Sunday, 15
August, which will be attended by Minister Dlamini Zuma
and Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad.
South Africa, as a key role-player on both the SADC
and NEPAD processes, and as one of SADC's four representatives
on the NEPAD Steering Committee and the Heads of State
and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC), will
also attend the high level NEPAD Meeting of SADC scheduled
for 12 August 2004.
The SADC Summit and Council of Ministers meeting will
provide a valuable opportunity to discuss a number of
important regional political, economic and social issues.
Tanzania is the current chairperson of SADC and will
now hand over the reins of leadership to Mauritius.
The importance of the Troika system of rotational leadership
must be emphasised, as a mechanism to ensure that leadership
is shared. This bodes well for democratic structures
of governance and NEPAD.
Objectives of the Summit and related meetings:
- Summit will consider a report on developments around
the operationalisation of the Organ on Politics, Defence
and Security. South Africa is the incoming chair of
the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics,
Defence and Security Co-operation. Lesotho, as the
current chair of the SADC Ministerial Committee of
the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation
will present to Summit the draft guidelines for elections
in the SADC region.
- Summit will review the regional political, economic
and social developments with special reference to
agriculture, food security, gender and HIV and Aids.
- Summit will consider the final report of the Review
Committee on the Implementation of the Restructuring
Exercise of SADC Institutions.
- Summit will also be informed on the status of the
ratification and implementation of SADC Protocols.
- Summit will consider the report of the Integrated
Committee of Ministers.
- Summit will receive a report on gender equality.
- Summit will discuss progress in terms of the operationalisation
of the African Union including:
- The operationalisation of the Protocol Relating
to the establishment of the Peace and Security Council
(PSC) of the AU;
- The Draft Protocol to the AU Convention on the Prevention
and Combating of Terrorism;
- The launching and establishment of the Pan-African
Parliament;
- The Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC)
of the AU.
- Summit will be briefed on the implementation of
NEPAD and also on the outcomes of the high level NEPAD
Meeting of SADC members scheduled for 12 August 2004.
- Summit will be briefed by South Africa on arrangements
for the hosting of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
- Summit will also consider Madagascar's application
for membership to SADC.
Programme:
Senior Officials Meeting Monday, 9 - Wednesday, 11
August 2004
NEPAD High Level Meeting Thursday, 12 August 2004
Council of Ministers Meeting Friday, 13 - Sunday, 15
August 2004
Heads of State Summit Monday, 16 - Tuesday, 17 August
2004
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 - 990 4853
C/O: Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag x152
PRETORIA
0001
5 August 2004
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