Deputy President Jacob Zuma to Attend the High-level Segment of the International Meeting on the Comprehensive Review of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, Port Louis, Mauritius Thursday, 13 - Friday, 14 January 2005

Pretoria - South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma will lead the South African delegation to the United Nations High-level Segment of the International Meeting on the Comprehensive Review of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Port Louis, Mauritius from Thursday - Friday, 13-14 January 2005.

The plight of the SIDS has been highlighted by the effect of the Tsunami disaster on islands like the Maldives and this will form an important part of the agenda.

The Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA) remains the basic blueprint for the sustainable development of SIDS. The United Nations General Assembly, through the adoption of Resolutions A/RES/57/262, A/RES/58/213 and A/RES/58/213B, endorsed the World Summit on Sustainable Development's (WSSD's) call for a full and comprehensive review of the implementation of the BPoA and decided that an International Meeting for such a review be convened in Mauritius from 10 to 14 January 2005. As custodian of the WSSD, South Africa closely follows the plight of SIDS and the sustainable development of these states.

SIDS continue to face major challenges in their development efforts due to problems associated with the depletion of their non-renewable resources; limited natural resources, including fresh water; isolation from international economies and markets and rising sea levels as a result of climate change.

During the last preparatory meeting in New York, the Group of 77 and China presented new proposals on implementation that cover finance, science, monitoring and governance. These proposals will be comprehensively discussed in Mauritius.

Deputy President Jacob Zuma returns to South Africa on Saturday, 15 January 2005.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853
? Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
11 January 2005