Minister Dlamini Zuma to Lead AU Ministerial Delegation to Comoros on Sunday 24 June

Pretoria - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, in her capacity as chair of the African Union Ministerial Committee of Countries of the Region on Comoros, will on Sunday 24 June 2007 lead a delegation of Ministers from Tanzania, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya and Mozambique to Comoros.

Minister Dlamini Zuma, will lead the Ministerial delegation to the Comoros within the context of the African Union's priority to consolidate peace, security and national reconciliation in the Comoros.

This visit to the Comoros follows a meeting of the Ministerial Committee in Cape Town earlier this week during which African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for the Comoros Ambassador Said Djinnit briefed the Ministers on the latest developments of the situation in the Comoros.

At the meeting, the Vice-President of the Union of the Comoros requested the African Union to provide urgent assistance to the Comorian Government, to enable it overcome the current crisis in the archipelago, and to enhance the long-term capacity of the institutions of the Union.

The meeting also called on all African Union partners, including the League of Arab States, the European Union, the United Nations and the bilateral partners, to fully support efforts by the African Union to resolve the crises in the country.

The Ministerial Committee will following their deliberations in Cape Town earlier this week and their visit to the Comoros present their recommendations to Heads of State and Government at the African Union Summit in July.

Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected to return to South Africa on Monday 25 June 2007.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

23 June 2007