Minister Dlamini Zuma departs for the UN General Assembly

Pretoria- South African Foreign Minister and Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad depart today, Friday 19 September 2008 for New York where they will form part of the South African delegation to the 63rd Session of the UN General Assembly scheduled to resume on Tuesday 23 September and last until 2 October 2008.

South Africa will be participating in this year’s UN General Assembly within the government’s often stated position that the multilateral system of global governance remains the only hope against challenges facing humanity today.

President Thabo Mbeki who is expected to lead the South African Government delegation to the General Assembly will deliver his last address to the General Assembly on Wednesday 24 September 2008.

The theme for this year’s General Assembly is “The impact of the global food crisis on poverty and hunger in the world as well as the need to democratise the UN”. In this regard, South Africa is expected to focus its attention on food security, UN reform, peace and security in Africa, climate change, promotion of South-South co-operation as well as the review of the Millenium Development Goals.

Thursday 25 September will witness the South African delegation participating in the Parallel thematic Round-tables on the Millenium Development Goals. Later in the evening of the same day, the South African delegation will host a reception which will also be addressed by the UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, AU Chairperson President Jikaya Kikwete and FIFA President Sepp Blatter to launch the 2010 FIFA World Cup African Legacy Programme. Members of the South African LOC are expected to attend the event.

In the same context both the British and French delegations are also expected earlier in the day to launch the 2010 African Legacy programmes with emphasis on Education.

As is customary a number of bilateral requests have been received at both Presidential and Ministerial levels for political discussions with the South African delegation. Details thereof will be released as soon as the programme is finalised.   

In addition, the South African delegation is also expected to attend a number of meetings on the margins of the UN General Assembly including the:

• Opening Plenary of the High-Level meeting on Africa’s Development needs, state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward.
• Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting
• Ministerial meeting of the Alliance for Civilisations
• Ministerial meeting of the G77 and China
• Ministerial meeting of the G5
• Ministerial meeting of the Community of Democracies

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
19 September 2008