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President Thabo Mbeki to lead South African Delegation to the
African Union (AU) Summit, Accra, Ghana President Thabo Mbeki supported
by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will lead the South
African government delegation to the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government
Summit scheduled for 1-3 July in Accra, Ghana. President Mbeki will depart for
Accra on Saturday 30 June. President Mbeki will lead the South African
delegation that includes Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, within the context
of South Africa's priority of consolidating the African Agenda through, among
others, building the AU institutions. In this regard, the AU Summit is due
to discuss the critical issue of the political and economic integration of the
continent, on the basis of recommendations made by the retreat of the AU Executive
Council of Foreign Ministers held in Durban in March this year. The issue of political
and economic integration has remained on the agenda of the African continent since
the establishment of the OAU in 1963 in Addis Ababa. During his visit to
Ghana, President Mbeki will participate in the meeting of the AU Heads of State
and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) of NEPAD where South Africa's
peer review report will be tabled for discussion. Furthermore President
Mbeki will participate in the launch of the Pan African Infrastructure Development
Fund. The Fund is intended to help address the challenge of access to capital
for infrastructural development on the continent and will provide a backbone for
African growth and economic development. It will help address the challenges of
those regions of the continent with huge infrastructural projects but without
enough equity capital to finance them. Visit to Cote D'Ivoire Following
the conclusion of the AU Summit in Ghana, at the invitation of Prime Minister
Guillaume Soro, President Mbeki is expected to visit Cote d'Ivoire on the 4 July
ahead of the scheduled 'Flames of Peace' ceremony in Bourke to mark the symbolic
start of the disarmament process in Cote d'Ivoire. The ceremony is expected to
be attended by, among others, President Laurent Gbagbo, President John Kuofor
and President Blaise Compaore, who played a major role in facilitating the Peace
Agreement between President Gbagbo and Prime Minister Soro. Issued by
Ronnie Mamoepa at 082 990 4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X 152
Pretoria
0001 29 June 2007
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