Minister Dlamini Zuma joins UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon in handover of Chairpersonship of G77 + China

Pretoria - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Wednesday 10 January 2007, join the United Nations Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon in a ceremony in which South Africa will hand over the Chairpersonship of the Group of 77 (G-77 and China) to Pakistan at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Minister Dlamini Zuma is leading South African delegation, including Director General Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba and Deputy Director-General George Nene, to New York as part of processes following South Africa's ascendancy to the non-permanent seat of the United Nations Security Council last week.

During Minister Dlamini Zuma's visit to New York, the UN Security Council will also be discussing threats to international peace and security under the January Presidency of the Russian Federation.

Other issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council for January 2007 include: Cote d I'voire, DRC, Central African Republic, Ethiopia-Eritrea, Chad, Sudan, Haiti, Nepal, Georgia and the Middle East as well as cross-border issues in West Africa.

G-77 + China
The handover ceremony of the chairpersonship of G-77 + China to Pakistan will, in addition to Minister Dlamini Zuma and United Nations Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, be addressed by Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, the President of the UN General Assembly, the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Supachai Panitchpakdi, and the Administrator of the UNDP, Kemal Davis.

The Group of 77 (G-77) is the largest coalition of developing countries in the United Nations, which provides a platform for the countries of the South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic and development issues in the United Nations system, promote South-South co-operation and strengthen economic and technical co-operation among developing countries themselves.

During its tenure as Chairperson of the G-77 + China in 2006 South Africa was committed to enhancing the position of the Group as a constructive and responsible partner in promoting North-South relations, in support of the development agenda of the South.

As Chair, South Africa engaged with the broad membership of the Group in order to generate consensus on potentially divisive issues, in addition to engaging with the development partners on a daily basis to promote and protect the mandate received from the Group.

The context in which South Africa chaired the G77 and China during 2006 was an unprecedented one in terms of the number of important new issues that the Group dealt with as part of the international debate on the need to reform the UN and make it a stronger and more effective organization. As a consequence of South Africa's efforts during the last year, the G77 and China has managed to generate new levels of preparedness, cohesion and solidarity within its ranks.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Tshwane
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7 January 2007