President Motlanthe to host the Socialist International Commission for a Sustainable World Society, Kleinmond, 02 March 2009

Pretoria: President Kgalema Motlanthe, supported by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will on Monday 02 March 2009 host the meeting of the Socialist International Commission for a Sustainable World Society to be held at the Arabella Spa, Kleinmond, Western Cape.

The Socialist International is the worldwide organisation of social democratic parties and currently brings together 170 political parties and organisations from all continents.

President Kgalema Motlanthe will tonight, Sunday 1 March 2009, host a banquet to welcome the members of the Socialist International Commission, whilst Minister Dlamini Zuma will on Monday 2 March 2009 open and participate in the meeting in her capacity as a member of the Commission.

The agenda of the meeting will amongst others focus on:

• Africa’s experience in tackling global warming and climate change and the continent’s perspective on the current global negotiations;
• a review of the status of the negotiations leading to the United Nations Copenhagen Conference to be held in December this year and preparations for the Commission’s Report to be presented in September 2009;
• the granting of an SI Environment Award;
• the Commission’s next activities; and
• the current global financial crisis.

Other participants at the meeting will include representatives of governments led by Socialist International parties in the region and members of the Sustainable World Society (SWS) Commission.

Discussions will be chaired by the Co-Chairs of the Commission, Ricardo Lagos, former President of Chile and a Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on climate change, and Goran Persson, former Prime Minister of Sweden.

The meeting in South Africa forms part of a programme of activities for 2009 which will also see meetings of the Commission in China, Washington D.C. and at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Media Programme

Monday 02 March 2009

9h00: Media to arrive for photo opportunity and the opening session of the Socialist International Commission meeting

Venue: Arabella Spa
Kleinmond
Western Cape

(Please RSVP)
(Please present Press Cards)

Contact: Nomfanelo Kota on 082 459 3787

10h00: Photo opportunity and commencement of meeting

Media in attendance for opening remarks

Contact: Nomfanelo Kota on 082 459 3787

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X 152
Pretoria
0001

01 March 2009