Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad to Co-Chair South Africa – Cuba Consultative Forum, Friday 20 June, Union Buildings, Pretoria

Pretoria – South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad will together with his Cuban counterpart First Deputy Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriquez, co-chair, the 6th session of the South Africa – Cuba Consultative Forum at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, tomorrow, Friday 20 June 2008.

Deputy Minister Pahad will co-chair this session of the South Africa – Cuba Consultative Forum with a view to the consolidation of existing bilateral political and economic relations with Cuba within the broad framework of advancing South-South relations. 

South Africa and Cuba have a number of bilateral co-operation projects chief among which is the training of South African students in the field of medicine which has seen a number of students from poor and rural communities benefiting from the scheme. The two countries also co-operate in a trilateral project with Mali in bringing medical doctors from Cuba to Mali.

Cuba is the current chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).  In this regard, the Cuban delegation will brief the South African delegation on developments regarding efforts aimed at the revitalisation of the Movement.  In this regard Cuba as Chair of NAM has placed emphasis on the advancement of developmental issues and has been efficient in setting up systems for ongoing consultations between NAM member states on issues of common interest.

Issues on the agenda of the 6th South Africa – Cuba Consultative Forum are expected to include, among others:

• The status of bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries;
• Global institutions of governance including the comprehensive reform of the United Nations and South Africa’s tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council;
• Developments within the Non-Aligned Movement
• Political and socio-economic developments within SADC and Africa as well as within Latin America and the Caribbean; and
• Food security and climate change.

Media Programme for the South Africa – Cuba Joint Consultative Forum on Friday 20 June 2008, Union Buildings, Pretoria

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

19 June 2008