Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka to depart for Italy

Pretoria - South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will today Tuesday 4 September 2007 depart for Rome, Italy where she is scheduled to pay a Working Visit from Wednesday 5 September to Saturday 8 September 2007. 

While in Italy, Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka will pay a courtesy call on His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI; hold  discussions with her Italian counterpart, Deputy Prime and Minister of Foreign Affairs Massimo D’Alema on Thursday 6 September 2007 and address the Ambrosetti Forum on the theme “The World: Key Current Challenges’’ at Lake Como, Cernobbio, on 7 September 2007.

Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka’s visit to Italy comes within the context of South Africa’s priority to consolidate political and economic relations with Italy as a member of the European Union, Group of Eight (G8) and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in pursuit of implementing South Africa and Africa’s development agenda. 

Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka’s bilateral consultations with the Italian Government are expected to include:

• The current status of political, economic and trade relations, and prospects for increased relations;
• Co-operation within the framework of AsgiSA and JIPSA;
• Preparations for the official visit of Italian Prime Minister Romani Prodi to South Africa in 2008;
• A briefing on developments within the European and African Unions;
• The main outcomes of the recent SADC Summit,
• Preparations for the European Union – Africa summit in Lisbon in December; and
• Enhanced co-operation within the United Nations as both countries are presentlyon-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Established in 1975, the Ambrosetti Forum is Italy’s version of the World Economic Forum and sees Heads of State, top representatives of European institutions and Italian cabinet ministers come together to discuss issues of greatest impact for the global economy. 

The participation of Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka in the Ambrosetti Forum will provide an opportunity to present South Africa and Africa’s development agenda.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 152
Pretoria
0001

4 September 2007