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Deputy Minister Pahad to Co-chair 5th SA-Cuba Joint Consultative
Mechanism Havana - South African Deputy Foreign minister Aziz Pahad, will
on Tuesday 10 July 2007, 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. Meanwhile Deputy
Finance Jabu Moleketi will, on Tuesday 10 July 2007, hold discussions with his
counterpart Deputy Minister of Finance and Prices Alejandro Gil Fernandez, First
Deputy Minister of Tourism Alexis Trujillo Morejon, and First Deputy President
of the National Institute of Sport Roberto Leon Richard. Deputy Ministers
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-Alignment Movement (NAM). 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 Alignment 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
exports products: Calcium, footwear, platinum and synthetic fibers. Main
import products: Vaccines for human medicines, cigars, other tobacco products
and rum
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853 Department of
Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001 09 July 2007
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