Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to deliver the DIRCO’s Budget Speech

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is scheduled to present the department’s 2011/2012 Budget Vote Speech to the National Assembly on Tuesday, 31 May 2011.

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane’s Budget Vote Speech will focus on, inter alia, the implementation of the department’s foreign policy objectives as its core mandate. Further focus will be devoted to articulating on DIRCO’s anticipated job creation strategies and mechanisms – thus responding to the Presidential call for “job creation”.

Against this background, the Minister’s Budget Vote Speech will entail the approach DIRCO seeks to adopt in responding to the advancement of Government’s five key priority areas.

The Minister will also highlight some of the country’s role and successes as a member of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and as the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The country’s accession to membership of the BRICS formation is among the highlights of South Africa’s foreign policy achievements in the recent past. Minister Nkoana-Mashabane will take this opportunity to share the importance and substantial benefits of our membership to this very powerful grouping of emerging powers.

South Africa is scheduled to host COP17/CMP7 in Durban between the end of November and the second week of December, later this year - 2011.  As President of the conference, the Minister will share her expectations of what Durban should focus on.

And finally, the Minister will further provide an update on progress, thus far, in the creation of the South African Development Agency (SADPA), which intends to drive a development partnership programme in order to build innovative, proactive and sustainable partnerships to advance African development. 

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
Rietondale
Pretoria

28 May 2011