President Mbeki concludes State Visit to Tunisia and proceeds to Hungary, Wednesday, 13 October 2004

Tunisia - President and Mrs Thabo Mbeki will today, Wednesday - 13 October 2004 - conclude the State Visit to Tunisia and depart for Budapest, Hungary ahead of the 6th Progressive Governance Summit from Thursday - Friday, 14-15 October 2004 to be hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister, Ferenc Gyurcsány.

President Mbeki's delegation to Tunisia included Ministers Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Pallo Jordan, Mosiuoa Lekota, Membathisi Mdladlana, Alec Erwin, Mandisi Mpahlwa, Zola Skweyiya and a large business delegation which met on the fringes of the State Visit.

The Progressive Governance Summit in Hungary will also be attended by the Presidents of Chile, Poland and Spain - Richardo Lagos, Aleksander Kwasniewski and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero respectively, and; Prime Ministers of Canada, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Korea, New Zealand, Romania, Sweden and Britain - Paul Martin, Stanislav Gross, Meles Zenawi, Lee Hae-chan, Helen Elizabeth Clark, Adrian Nastase, Göran Persson and Tony Blair; and the Chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schröder.

These leaders will deliberate on the challenges and aspirations of progressive politics with the aim of exchanging ideas, experiences, and best practices that will help in the development of progressive solutions towards the problems citizens all over the world experience today.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

13 October 2004