Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane depart for the Commonwealth Heads of Government (chogm), Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 27-29 November 2009

Pretoria- International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane will on Monday, 23 November 2009, depart for Trinidad and Tobago ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM), from 27-29 November 2009. Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane will be accompanied by a Senior Officials delegation led by Ambassador G Nene, Deputy Director General for Multilateral.

South Africa participates in the CHOGM within the context of North-South Cooperation as the Government seeks to exchange views on a range of challenges facing the world today such as climate change, sustaining biodiversity and conserving water resources.

The theme for the 2009 CHOGM is “Partnering for a more Equitable and Foreign Sustainable Future”.

Accordingly, Commonwealth Foreign Minister Pre-CHOGM Meeting will discuss and make recommendations to Heads of State on the following issues amongst others:

• Consideration of Political Issues;
• Global Economic Situation;
• Climate Change; and
• Youth

In addition, the Foreign Ministers committee will recommend to the Heads of Government that there should be a stand-alone statements on the following:

• Principles and Value’s of the Commonwealth and the way forward for the organisation (this year is the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth and a good opportunity to take stock)
• The global economic and financial situation
• Climate Change

South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth in 1994, shortly after the first democratic elections, and in November 1999 South Africa hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Durban and assumed the Chair for the following two years before handing over to Australia in March 2002.

Upon conclusion Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane will depart for Cuba where she will be co-chairing the Sixth South Africa-Cuba Joint Bilateral Commission (JBC)

For further information please contact Chief Director for Public Diplomacy, Saul Kgomotso Molobi on 082 940 1647

Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Private Bag x152
Pretoria
0001

23 November 2009