Minister Dlamini Zuma to Host Slovakian Counterpart

Pretoria – South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Wednesday 7 November 2007 host her Slovakian counterpart Foreign Minister Ján Kubiŝ for bilateral political, economic and trade discussions at the Table Bay Hotel in Seapoint, Cape Town.

Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Ján Kubiŝ will also co-host an International Workshop on Security Sector Reform (SSR) under the banner, “Enhancing United Nations Support for SSR in Africa: Towards and African Perspective”, scheduled from Wednesday – Thursday 7 – 8 November at the La Vendome Hotel in Seapoint.

This visit will be hosted by Minister Dlamini Zuma within the context of South Africa’s priority to strengthen bilateral political, economic and trade relations with Slovakia as well as to review the status of Security Sector Reform for Africa.

Issues on the agenda of discussions between Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Ján Kubiŝ on Wednesday 7 November 2007 are expected to include, among others:

• The status and promotion of bilateral political, economic and trade relations between both countries;
• A briefing by Minister Kubiŝ on developments within the European Union;
• A briefing by Minister Dlamini Zuma on developments within SADC and the Africa Union;
• Conflict Resolution and Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Africa;
• The comprehensive reform of the United Nations; and
• Other international issues of mutual concern including the Middle East Peace Process.

Bilateral Economic Relations
Bilateral economic relations should be prioritised with the aim of increasing trade and investment. The two countries are working together to identified areas to compliment each other in the economic field and new sectors such as aircraft and automotive industries have been identified.

Slovakia will host the 2nd Session of the Joint Council for Economic Consultations in Bratislava in 2007.

Trade between South Africa and Slovakia has grown steadily over the years. The turnover from 2003 to 2006 was US$113.165 million. The percentage increase in trade for the years mentioned rose by 358.7 from Slovakia. The trade balance was US$72.653, in favour of Slovakia.

In the year 2005 – 2006, Slovakia traded with a surplus of US$ 29.045 million which illustrate the seriousness with which Slovakia is making in roads in the South African trade competitiveness.

Imports from South Africa for the period 2006, amounted to US$22.309 million and consisted mainly of the following commodities: edible fruit and nuts; mineral fuel, mineral oils and products of their distillations; vehicles and vehicle parts, iron and steel; salt, sulphur and plastering material; wool and fine or coarse hair and electrical machinery.

The value of total trade between South Africa and Slovakia amounted to US$92 909 million:

Trade between Slovakia and South Africa for the period 2003 - 2006

Workshop on Security Sector Reform

The International workshop will focus on initiating a process through which security sector debate in all its aspects is promoted in Africa. This in turn will allow Africa to make a contribution towards developing a common concept on SSR for the UN. The international workshop, therefore, will serve the twin purposes of promoting dialogue on security sector reform in all its aspects in support of Common African Peace and Security agenda also allowing for the sharing of African experiences in SSR to assist in defining roles that the UN could and should play in support of these initiatives.

In particular, the international workshop aims at initiating a debate in Africa on all aspects of the security sector governance required to enhance the African Peace and Security Agenda. The workshop will also focus on the needs, concerns and perspectives of African countries that are already engaged with the UN in SSR activities on the ground with a view to exchange information and improve support to the operations.

The workshop will provide a unique opportunity for an exchange of views and experiences between policy makers and practitioners from and between African countries on the one hand, and regional and international organisations as well as from donor countries on the other.

This dialogue will provide an entry-point for articulating a common African agenda for SSR, allowing in the future for more compatibility between the international community and Africa in general, and between Africa and the UN in particular, in support of security sector initiatives in the continent. It is envisaged that the outcome of the workshop will provide valuable input into the continuing dialogue of the UN on SSR as well as into the discussions of the African Union Summit in 2008.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

4 November 2007