President Mbeki concludes Visit to India

New Delhi – South African President Thabo Mbeki will today Wednesday 9 April 2008 conclude his official visit to India where he led a senior South African government delegation to the inaugural Africa – India Partnership Summit scheduled from Tuesday – Wednesday 8-9 April 2008.

President Mbeki’s delegation included Mrs Zanele Mbeki, Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa, South Africa’s High Commissioner to India Francis Moloi as well as South Africa’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Chris Pepani.

President Thabo Mbeki and Heads of State and Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tanzania and Nigeria as well as Chair of the African Union Commission Alpha Konare participated alongside Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Summit that considered the modalities to strengthen the cooperation ties between Africa and India.

Accordingly, the Summit agreed that co-operation between India and Africa would be strengthened in the following areas:

• Economic co-operation through agriculture, trade industry and investment, small and medium-scale enterprises, finance and regional integration;
• Political co-operation through peace and security as well as civil society and governance initiatives;
• Science, technology, research and development through science and technology, information and communication technology programmes;
• Co-operation in social development and capacity building in the field of education, health, water and sanitation, culture and sports, and poverty eradication;
• Tourism;
• Infrastructure, energy and environmental issues;
• Media and communication

While in India President Thabo Mbeki paid a courtesy call on Indian President Patil and held discussions with incoming Chairperson of the African Union, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

President Thabo Mbeki is expected to arrive in South Africa on Thursday 10 April 2008. Meanwhile, Minister Dlamini Zuma will proceed to Austria where she is expected to pay an official visit and hold bilateral political and economic discussions with her Austrian counterpart.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

9 April 2008