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Minister Dlamini Zuma arrives in Qatar ahead of President Mbeki
for the G-77 + China Summit, Doha Qatar Doha - South African Foreign Minister
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma arrived today, Sunday 12 June 2005, in Doha ahead of
President Thabo Mbeki who is scheduled to depart South Africa on Tuesday for the
G-77 + China.
President Mbeki and his delegation will participate in the Summit
within the context of South Africa's stated commitment to strengthen South-South
relations with a view to: · Increasing market access, trade and investment
among countries of the South;
· Obtaining support for the agenda of
the South globally; and
· Promoting North-South relations for increased
market access, trade and investment. The G77 effectively provides the means
for the developing world to articulate and promote its collective economic interests
and enhance its joint negotiating capacity on mainly economic and development
issues within the United Nations system, and to promote and strengthen economic
and technical co-operation among developing countries themselves. In this
regard Minister Dlamini Zuma will be attending first the Ministerial meeting of
the G-77 + China is expected to discuss and make recommendations to the Summit
of Heads of State and Government scheduled for Tuesday - Thursday, 14-16 June
2005 on the following: · Global strategies and policies to enhance
co-operation among developing countries and combat problems and face the challenges
of the 21st Century, with particular reference to globalisation;
·
The readjustment the G-77 and China vision for South-South co-operation, taking
into account the new world context, that is characterized by accelerated globalisation
and the interdependence of national economies;
· Existing G-77 and
China priorities from which existing plans of action components that should be
implemented on an accelerated basis over the next three to five years will be
extracted;
· Progress towards the Millennium Development Goals ahead
of the High Level Summit on the Millennium Declaration to be held in New York
from 14-16 September 2005; and
· The United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi Annan's report on the reform on the United Nations and how these would impact
on the challenges faced by the developing world. President Thabo Mbeki
is expected to address the Summit in Wednesday, 15 June 2005.
The South Summit
is the largest gathering of leaders of the South since the recently held Africa-Asia
Summit of Heads of state and government held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 21-22
April 2005. The Summit will be the last before the UN Millennium Summit and the
UN General Assembly in September this year in which the implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals as well as the reform of the UN system will come
under close scrutiny. President Mbeki will return to South Africa on Thursday
ahead of the June 16 Youth Day Commemoration rally. Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa
on 082 990 4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
12
June 2005 | 
