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President Thabo Mbeki to attend the AU Peace and Security Council
Meeting, New York, Wednesday 20 September 2006 New York- South African President
Thabo Mbeki, supported by Minister of Foreign Affairs, will on Wednesday 20 September
in New York, attend the African Union Peace and Security Council meeting of Heads
of State and Government to discuss the situation in Darfur and consider the mandate
of the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS). President Mbeki is in New York where
he is leading the South African government delegation to the 61st Session of the
UN General Assembly within the context of the country's conviction that the multilateral
system of global governance remains the only in facing challenges facing humanity
today including pushing back the frontiers of poverty and under-development including
the exercise of global power. SA expects to be elected to the non-permanent seat
of the UNSC on 16 October 2006. South Africa's attendance of the AU Peace
and Security Council comes within the context of the country's commitment to consolidating
the African Agenda through among others support for post-conflict reconstruction
and development initiatives. The AU Peace and Security Council meeting in
New York on Wednesday will convene against the background of the adoption of the
UN Security Council Resolution 1706 that calls for the expansion of the UN mission
in Sudan (UNMIS) from the current 10 000 to 17,300 troops and an additional 3000
civilian police. COTE D' IVOIRE SUMMIT Later on Wednesday
20 September, in New York, President Thabo Mbeki, supported by Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will join UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
during the Summit convened to discuss the situation in Cote D' Ivoire. The Summit
is part of efforts by the international community to assist the people of Cote
d' Ivoire to address their current political challenges. The Summit is expected
to be attended by among others: - President Gbagbo and Prime Minister
Banny of Cote D' Ivoire
- Presidents of the RDR, PDCI and Secretary-General
of the Forces Nouvelles
- Presidents of Burkina Faso, Congo-Brazzaville,
Ghana, Mali, Niger and Nigeria
- Chairman of the Commission of the African
Union and Executive Secretary of ECOWAS.
TUESDAY'S BILATERAL AND
OTHER ENGAGEMENTS President Mbeki, will following his address to the
UN General Assembly today, Tuesday 19 September, supported by Minister Dlamini
Zuma, hold bilateral discussions with EU Secretary-General Javier Solana, Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ms.
Tzipi Livni. Meanwhile Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected today, Tuesday
19 September to hold bilateral discussions with her Chilean counterpart, Foreign
Minister Alejandro. In addition, Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected to attend the
launch of the UNITAID an initiative of Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the UK
to create an international drug purchase facility aimed at contributing to scaling
up access to diagnostic kits and treatment for HIV and AIDS, malaria and TB.
AFRICAN
AMERICAN INSTITUTE'S ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER, TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
In other
important engagements, President Mbeki will tonight, Tuesday 19 September address
the African American Institute(AAI) Annual Awards Dinner in which Phumla Mtala
of the University of South Africa will be receiving the AAI's Distinguished Alumni
Award. Leaders of Nigeria, Malawi, Rwanda and Sao Tome will also attend the function. WEDNESDAY
BILATERALS For Wednesday 20 September, the South African delegation
received requests for bilateral discussions with leaders of Iran and Norway. President
Mbeki is expected to return to South Africa on Thursday 21 September 2006. Issued
by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853 Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag
X152
Pretoria
0001 19 September 2006.
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