Minister Dlamini Zuma to participate in Opening Session of AU Ministerial Meeting

Addis Ababa – South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will today Sunday 27 January 2008 lead a senior South African government delegation to the opening plenary of the 12th Executive Council of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Executive Council of Foreign Ministers of the African Union will lay the basis for the 10th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly to be held under the banner of “Industrial Development of Africa,” scheduled from Thursday – Saturday 31 January – 2 February 2008, to which President Mbeki will lead the South African delegation.

Accordingly, the Executive Council of Foreign Ministers is expected to consider:

• The implementation of Accra Declaration including a Report of the High Level Panel on the Audit of the Union and a Report of the Ministerial Committee on the Union Government;
• The situation in the Middle East and Palestine;
• The draft budget of the Commission for 2008;
• The status of negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreements;
• The status of Trade Negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO); and
• The implementation of Decision Assembly on the Reform of the United Nations.

The Executive Council of Foreign Ministers will also consider reports from the following:

• The Chairperson of the Commission;
• The Permanent Representatives Committee; and
• The Ministerial Committee on Candidatures to the International System.

The Ministers will apply themselves to the election of Members of the Peace and Security Council and of the Commission.

Ministers will also debate the proposed participation of the African Diaspora as an Observer in the Assemblies of the African Union.

Earlier today Sunday 27 January 2008 Minister Dlamini Zuma held discussions with her counterparts from the southern geographic region of the African Union.

While in Addis Ababa, Minister Dlamini Zuma will, on the margins of the African Union Foreign Ministers meeting, host a meeting of Countries of the Region on the Comoros and a ministerial meeting of the AU Committee on Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Sudan in her capacity as Chairperson of these committees on Monday 28 January and Tuesday 29 January 2008 respectively.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

27 January 2008