The Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will Pay Official Visits to Senegal, Ethiopia and the Comoros 30 April - 8 May 2005

PRETORIA: The South African Foreign Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will tomorrow, Saturday 30 April 2005 begin a three-nation official visit to Senegal, Ethiopia and the Comoros (30 April-8 May 2005).

Senegal: Minister Dlamini Zuma will on behalf of President Thabo Mbeki receive the first Bi-annual African Gender Award for 2005, whose other recipient will be the Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade in recognition of the leading roles the two leaders played in the 2003 adoption by the African Union of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.

The African Gender Award for 2005, the brain-child of Femmes Africa Solidarite (FAS)
a women's non-governmental organisation, whose aim is to promote the leadership of women in conflict prevention, management and resolution on the African continent; will be bestowed jointly on President Thabo Mbeki and President Abdoulaye Wade at a ceremony to be held in the Senegalese capital Dakar on Tuesday, 2 May 2005.

Prior to the Award ceremony, Minister Dlamini Zuma will on Monday 1 May, participate in the" Dialogue Between African and Arab Women Conference", that will also be taking place in Dakar, Senegal.

Ethiopia :Minister Dlamini Zuma will attend the African Union Ministerial Committee meeting mandated to evaluate progress made in popularising the Ezulwini Consensus, which outlines the African Common Position on the proposed Reform of the United Nations (4-6 May 2005)

Comoros: The Minister will on the last leg of the visit travel to the Comoros (6-8 May 2005) where she will be leading a delegation of Foreign Ministers of Madagascar, Mozambique and Mauritius, in her capacity as chairperson of the AU Ministerial Committee on the Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development of the Comoros. In this regard the Committee will have discussions on the national reconciliation process with the political leaders of the Comoros, representatives of diplomatic missions and international organisations that are based in the Comoros.

The Committee will also assess the economic and the socio-political situation in the Comoros and examine in consultation with the Comorian authorities the conditions for the holding of a Donor's Round Table for the Comoros in Mauritius, later this year.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will return to South Africa on 8 May ahead of her official visit to the Gulf Region from 9-18 May 2005.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa-082 990 4853
Department of Foreign Affairs

Department of Foreign Affairs
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29 April 2005