President Thabo Mbeki Concludes Visit to UN General Assembly and UN Security Council

 NEW YORK - President and Mrs. Thabo Mbeki will today, Wednesday 26 September conclude his successful visit to the 62 nd Session of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council held in New York. Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will accordingly assume the reigns of leadership of the SA delegation to the remaining sessions of the UN General Assembly

President Mbeki will conclude his visit with several bilateral meetings with EU Foreign Javier Solana, UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Serbian President Boris Tadic, attend a session at the Clinton Global Initiative before proceeding to the New York Stock Exchange for the historic visit and ringing of the bell to mark the closing session of the day’s trading.

This will be the first time a South African President rings the bell at the New York Stock Exchange where several South Africa companies including Telkom, Sasol, Sappi, Harmony Gold Mining, Goldfields and Anglo Gold Ashanti are listed.

President Mbeki led a high powered South African government delegation including Ministers Trevor Manuel and Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad and Foreign Affairs Director-General Dr. Ayanda Ntsaluba to the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council within South Africa’s conviction that the multilateral system of global governance remains the only hope to current challenges facing humanity today.

In this regard, President Mbeki addressed the UN General Assembly on Climate Change and the UN Security Council on “Peace and Security in Africa” the third ever such Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Security Council since 1945.

MINISTERIAL BILATERAL MEETINGS

Minister Dlamini Zuma who will remain in New York is scheduled to hold and attend several bilateral and multilateral meetings on Wednesday and Thursday as follows:

• Ministerial meeting of the China-Africa Co-operation Forum
• India-Brazil-SA (IBSA) Ministerial meeting
• Bilateral meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada Maxime Bernier
• Bilateral meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Dr. Per Stig Moller
• Bilateral meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea, Osman Saleh Mohammed
• Ministerial meeting of the P3+2 ( USA, UK, France, Belgium and SA)

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

C/o SA Permanent Mission to the UN
New York

26 September 2006.