President Thabo Mbeki to lead South African Delegation to 61st Session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

Pretoria – South African President Thabo Mbeki, supported by Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will lead the South African delegation to the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York from Monday – Wednesday 18-20 September 2006.

President Thabo Mbeki’s participation in the 61st session of the UNGA comes within the context of South Africa’s conviction that the multilateral system of global governance remains the only solution to current challenges facing humanity including the need to push back the frontiers of poverty and under-development.

Accordingly, the government views the forthcoming UNGA as an excellent opportunity to:
 Continue consultations with other UN Member-states on the process of the reform of United Nations;
 Promoting multilateralism and respect for international law as the most appropriate means of achieving global political and economic stability, and security; and
 Promoting the African Agenda and NEPAD in the context of the work of the United Nations.

During UNGA 61 South Africa expects to be elected into the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for 2007-2008.

The 61st session of the UNGA will afford the international community an opportunity to review progress made with the implementation of the reforms to the United Nations as agreed during the 2005 session and bid the Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan farewell as he completes his tenure as Secretary-General of the World Body at the end of 2006.

The South African delegation to the 61st UNGA will be seized, amongst others, with the following issues:
 The promotion of the reform of the United Nations;
 The follow up of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits;
 The support of the United Nations for the promotion of the African agenda and NEPAD;
 Advancing South-South co-operation within the context of the Non-Aligned Movement and the G-77 + China;
 Support of the international community for the Middle East peace process; and
 Support of the international community for the global campaign against terrorism.

President Mbeki is expected to address the General Assembly on Tuesday 19 September 2006 and also attend a special Summit convened by Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Côte d’Ivoire.

President Mbeki is expected to return to South Africa on Thursday 21 September 2006.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.

℅ Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

10 September 2006