Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Hard at Work at CHOGM, Trinidad and Tobago, Thursday, 26 November 2009

Pretoria - South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago ahead of President Zuma’s visit to this island Republic to attend the 60th Anniversary of the Modern Commonwealth to be hosted by the Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago.

Held under the Theme Partnering for a More Equitable and Sustainable Future, CHOGM at 60, will be addressed by Mr Kamlesh Sharma, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda as well as the Host, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the Special Guest of Honour will be Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Chogm at 60 will host a Special Session on Climate Change ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in December 2009 in Copenhagen.

On the margins of CHOGM, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane met her Australian counterpart, Steven Smith and discussed both bilateral and multilateral issues. On the multilateral issues, Australia indicated its interest in serving as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2013 and 2014.

A Working Luncheon by Ms. Gopee ‘ Scoon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was hosted in honour of Foreign Ministers at CHOGM.

The Pre Chogm Foreign Ministers Meeting will have two sessions prior to the Heads of State and Government Meeting, and will amongst other issues consider the following:

• Review of Global Developments
• Consideration of Political Issues
• Global Economic Situation
• Commonwealth Functional Cooperation

Bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between South Africa and other CHOGM member countries are scheduled between Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane with Mr. Lawrence Cannon, Canadian Foreign Minister, Mr. Markos Kyprianou, Foreign Minister of Cyprus as well as a bilateral meeting with Ms. Moni Nawaz, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh. A possible bilateral meeting is also scheduled with the Finnish Foreign Minister.

For more information, contact Mr. Saul Molobi, Chief Director, Public Diplomacy at +27 82 9401647.

Issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Private Bag x 152
Pretoria 0001

26 November 2009