Deputy Minister Fransman concludes his working visit to the United States of America

International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Marius Fransman has concluded his working visit in New York and Washington, United States of America.

At the end of deliberations with different role players over the six days in USA, Deputy Minister Fransman described the visit as a success. The visit aimed at strengthening the important bilateral and multilateral partnership with the United States and the United Nations (and its institutions) focusing on promoting South Africa’s national priorities and maintaining strategic platforms of co-operation.

Deputy Minister met with Congressman Donald Payne and Under Secretary Bill Burns and both the discussions reaffirmed the need to strengthen the existing relations and further expand the co-operation on all fronts and expressed satisfaction with the current relations between the two countries.

Key highlights in the official visit included Deputy Minister delivering a key note address to the UNDP Segment of the Annual Session of the Executive Board of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS which was held in New York. The Deputy Minister emphasized the strong support of our country for the UNDP in carrying out its enormous responsibilities in contributing at the national, regional and global levels to the advancement of human development. Furthermore, he acknowledged the role being played by the UNDP in further enhancing cooperation amongst the countries of the South.

“We met a number of government representatives, analysts and business representatives here in the United States and managed to put our position on a number of issues quite clearly. Where there may have been concerns about certain issues surrounding the developments in Africa we managed to address these and on the same level regarding issues of cooperation and mutual benefit,” Deputy Minister said at the end of the visit.

Deputy Minister Fransman will move to Oslo, Norway for an official visit and will also attend the Oslo Annual Forum scheduled for 21-23 June 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
Private Bag x152
Pretoria
0001

21 June 2011