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Deputy Ministers Pahad and Moleketi arrive in Cuba Havana
- South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad and Deputy Minister Jabu Moleketi
on Saturday 7 July 2007 arrived in Havana, Cuba ahead of their official visit
scheduled from Saturday - Wednesday 7-11 July 2007. Deputy Minister Pahad
and Moleketi are visiting Cuba within the context of South Africa's commitment
to consolidate bilateral political, economic and trade relations with Cuba. Cuba
is one of South Africa's most important political partners in Latin America and
the Caribbean, with whom it has the strongest bilateral exchanges in a variety
of fields of socio-economic activity. Cuba is also the current chair of
the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Deputy Minister Pahad will together with
his Cuban counterpart Deputy Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez co-chair the 5th
session of the Joint Consultative Mechanism between South Africa and Cuba Tuesday
- Wednesday 10-11 July 2007. Issues on the agenda of this session of the
Joint Consultative Mechanism are expected to include, among others: - The
status of bilateral political and economic relations between South Africa and
Cuba;
- Updates on the current situation in Cuba and South Africa;
- Perspectives
on regional developments in Latin America and the Caribbean, SADC and Africa;
- Areas
of trilateral co-operation between South Africa and Cuba;
- Peace and security
challenges in Africa;
- Developments within the Non-Aligned Movement;
- The
comprehensive reform of the United Nations and South Africa's tenure of the non-permanent
seat on the United Nations Security Council; and
- Progress towards the
2008 African Union Diaspora Conference to be hosted by South Africa.
While
in Cuba, Deputy Minister Pahad will also brief resident Africa and Middle Eastern
Ambassadors on "Developments in Africa and the Middle East." Deputy
Ministers Pahad and Moleketi will depart from Cuba on Wednesday 11 July 2007 for
Panama. Bilateral Economic Relations Trade Figures Exports
to Cuba Imports from Cuba 2003 R2 966 627 R10 530 689
2004
R2 320 000 R14 170 000
2005 R3 539 000 R16 640 000 Main export
products: Calcium, footwear, platinum and synthetic fibers. Main import
products: Vaccines for human medicine, cigars, other tobacco products and rum.
Issued
by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853 Department of Foreign Affairs
Private
Bag X152
Pretoria
0001 8 July 2007
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