Minister Dlamini Zuma to Co chair 6th Joint Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Co-operation

Pretoria - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will, together with the Russian Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Petrovich Trutnev, co-chair the 6th session of the South Africa - Russian Federation Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Co-operation (ITEC) at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria scheduled from Wednesday-Thursday 21-22 February 2007.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will co-chair this session of ITEC within the context of South Africa's commitment to fast-track the achievement of the African developmental agenda through the consolidation of North-South relations. In this regard, the Russian Federation is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and a member of the Group of 8 (G-8).

Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Trutnev are expected to discuss:

The status of bilateral political and economic relations between both countries;

• A review of outcomes of the State Visit to South Africa by Russian President Vladimir Putin in September 2006;
• Co-operation in multilateral fora; and
• Other issues of mutual interest including the reform of the United Nations Security Council and South Africa's tenure of the non-permanent seat 2007-2008.

The 6th session of ITEC is expected to review progress in co-operation between both countries in the fields of

• Agriculture
• Arts and Culture
• Health
• Education
• Minerals and Energy
• Science and Technology
• Trade Investment & Banking
• Transport

Media Programme for 6th Session on of South Africa - Russia Join Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Co-operation

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

20 February 2007