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Minister N Dlamini Zuma concludes Visit to Cote d'Ivoire South
African Foreign Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, concluded her visit to Cote
d'Ivoire on Thursday, 20 July 2006, where she led a South African government delegation
to the ninth Session of the International Working Group (IWG) on Cote d'Ivoire
held in Abidjan on Thursday. During her visit to Cote d'Ivoire, Minister
Dlamini Zuma held bilateral discussions with Ivorian President Gbagbo and Prime
Minister Banny as part of preparations for the IWG meeting and to deliver a message
from President Thabo Mbeki. The visit to Cote d'Ivoire was part of an eight-nation
official visit in which Minister Dlamini Zuma, was part of the South African delegation
led by President Thabo Mbeki to consolidate bilateral political, economic and
trade relations with the West African countries of Guinea Conakry and Niger. Minister
Dlamini Zuma had also during the same period led a South African government delegation
to the African Union's Executive Council meeting to discuss strategic political,
economic and organisational matters of the African Union (AU) which served as
a basis for deliberations by the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit
held in the Gambia. Minister Dlamini Zuma was also part of the Presidential
delegation to Germany for the launch of the 2010 World Cup emblem and the official
visit to the country which culminated in bilateral discussions between President
Mbeki with German President Horst Koehler and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
During this period, Minister Dlamini Zuma also visited Iran where she held
bilateral discussions with her counterpart and Ali Larinjani to discuss bilateral
political and economic matters including developments around Iran's nuclear programme.
Following the visit to Iran, Minister Dlamini Zuma joined the Presidential
delegation to the Group of Eight (G-8) Summit within the context of South Africa's
commitment to strengthening relations with countries of the North with a view
to consolidating the African agenda. Minister Dlamini Zuma returns to South
Africa on Friday, 21 June. Enquires:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990
4853 Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
20 July 2006
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