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Prime Minister Mosisili to arrive in South Africa ahead of Official
Visit Pretoria - South African President Thabo Mbeki will on Tuesday 19
June 2007 host Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili of Lesotho for bilateral political
and economic discussions at Tuynhuys in Cape Town. Prime Minister Mosisili will
arrive in Cape Town today Monday 18 June 2007 where he is scheduled to pay an
official visit to South Africa scheduled from Monday - Wednesday 18-20 June 2007.
President Mbeki will host Prime Minister Mosisili in South Africa within the context
of South Africa's priority to strengthen and consolidate political, economic and
trade relations with countries of the SADC region. Issues on the agenda
of discussions between President Mbeki and Prime Minister Mosisili are expected
to include, among others: - The status of bilateral political and economic
relations between both countries;
- A briefing by President Mbeki on the
recently concluded G-8 + 5 and G-8 African outreach meetings in Heiligenndamm,
Germany;
- Preparations for the forthcoming AU and SADC Summits;
- Other
issues of mutual global interest including the comprehensive reform of the United
Nations;
While in South Africa Prime Minister Mosisili will also,
together with Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka co-chair the South Africa
- Lesotho Business Forum. Prime Minister Mosisili is scheduled to depart
from South Africa on Wednesday 20 June 2007. Bilateral Economic Relations Presently,
there are two projects in Lesotho which have been earmarked for promoting tourism
and sustainable utilization of water resources: the Sani Top-Mokhotlong Road and
the Metolong Dam. South Africa has made a commitment of ensuring that both
projects are funded through the African Renaissance Fund (ARF). The Lesotho
Railway Project has been recommended to be adopted by SADC as part of the Transport
Master Plan because of its strategic importance for the region. The inter-country
project is an important initiative aimed at linking Lesotho with countries of
the region through a solid railway infrastructure. The South Africa-Lesotho
Joint Bilateral Commission for Cooperation (JBCC) was signed on 19 April 2001
during an Official Visit by President Mbeki to the Kingdom of Lesotho. In
addition to strategic areas of cooperation that are being discussed, the JBCC
also constitutes an important basis for the on-going process of consolidating
relations between the two countries. Areas for possible cooperation under which
the desired results can be achieved are listed in the JBCC Agreement as follows:
Mutual economic integration; Political cooperation; Social cooperation;
Cultural cooperation; Humanitarian cooperation; Science and technology; Good governance,
Peace and security; Facilitation of movement of persons; goods and services.
Media
Programme for Official Visit to South Africa by Prime Minister of Lesotho Pakalitha
Mosisili, Monday 18 - Wednesday 20 June 2007
Issued
by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4863 Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
Private
Bag X152
Pretoria
0001 18 June 2007
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