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Minister Dlamini Zuma arrives in Washington ahead of Presidents
Mbeki and Bush Discussions Washington: South African Foreign Minister, Dr
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, on Wednesday night, 6 December, arrived in Washington
from Japan where she is scheduled to form part of President Mbeki's delegation
to bilateral discussions with United States (US) President George Bush scheduled
for Friday, 8 December 2006, at the White House. Minister Dlamini Zuma
was in Tokyo, Japan, where she held bilateral discussions with her Japanese counterpart,
Foreign Minister Taro Aso, with a view to the consolidation of political and economic
relations between South Africa and Japan within the context of national efforts
to ensure a faster and shared economic growth. Discussion between President
Thabo Mbeki and President George Bush will focus on among others: - the
status of bilateral political and economic relations between both countries
- conflict
resolution and peacekeeping in Africa
- multilateral co-operation including
developments in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations
- South
Africa's accession to the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council
(UNSC)
- other issues of international concern.
The economic
relationship between South Africa and the US remain on a firm footing with continuing
US interest in investment in South African industry and expanding the trade relationship,
which is currently in South Africa's favour. The US is also focussing on stimulating
economic growth and small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) development through
their United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programme. Total
trade is approaching R60 billion with an annual increase of approximately 11 percent.
South Africa has in the past decade been a major recipient of development assistance
from the USAID. Activities under USAID partnership will in 2006 reach over 827
700 individuals with basic services and provide a capital investment of R40 million.
President Mbeki is expected to return to South Africa on 9 December 2006.
Contact: Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853 Issued
by: Department of Foreign Affairs
7 December 2006 | 
