President Jacob Zuma arrives at the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

President Jacob Zuma has today, 28 January 2011, left Davos, Switzerland where he attended the World Economic Forum and he is now en route to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to attend the 16th Summit of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).

The President has had highly successful meetings at the World Economic Forum where he emphasized South Africa’s renewed focus on job creation through meaningful economic transformation.

In the AU Summit, which takes place from 29-31 January, under the theme “Towards Greater Unity and Integration through Shared Values”, the President and other Heads of State will discuss and identify obstacles and measures to be adopted to facilitate continental integration based on the values of the AU. The President arrival comes at the time that the AU Executive Council of Minister's  was dealing with various issues from the Sudan referendum, to the aftermath of the elections in Ivory Coast which will  form part of the AU Summit heads of states agenda.

President Zuma is accompanied to the AU Summit by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi, who is the APRM National Focal Point in South Africa and Minister Trevor Manuel, the Minister in the Presidency responsible for the NEPAD Regional Infrastructure initiative.

President Zuma will return to South Africa on the 1st February 2011.

For further information please contact Mr. Clayson Monyela spokesperson for DIRCO on 082 884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
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Pretoria

28 January 2011