Press Release
20 November 2015
Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers to undertake a two-nation official visit to Europe
The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Luwellyn Landers will undertake a working visit to Norway and Ireland respectively.
The visit to Norway takes place within the context of the South Africa/Norway High Level Consultations (HLC). During the visit, Deputy Minister Landers and the Norwegian counterpart, Ms Tone Skogen will co-chair the 3rd Session of the High Level Consultations between the two countries in Oslo on 23-24 November 2015.
The HLC structure comprises of Political Affairs Working Group, with a Structured Dialogue Forum on Human Rights; an Economic, Technological and Social Issues Working Group comprising of Trade and Investment, Science and Technology, Maritime Issues, Energy, and Environment and Climate. South Africa and Norway have a history of working together in the promotion of democracy, good governance and human rights, social, environmental and climate change and have supported and worked with each other in bilateral and multilateral relations. The two countries will further discuss cooperation related to the maritime sector, in light of South Africa’s fast-tracking of the Blue economy.
In Ireland, Deputy Minister Landers will Co-Chair the 4th South Africa-Ireland Partnership Forum on the 26 November 2015 in Dublin. The partnership Forum is the structured mechanism to manage and monitor bilateral relations between South Africa and Ireland. It was established in 2004 through signing of a Declaration of Intent aimed at placing bilateral relations on a coherent and structured footing. The forum is conducted at Deputy Minister Level and meets every two years.
The Partnership Forum in Dublin will be an opportunity to reconfirm good relations between South Africa and Ireland which stem from long standing friendly ties. During the forum, discussions will also cover a general overview of the Irish Aid programme to South Africa, as well as exchanging views on the current European and African issues of mutual concern. It will also present an opportunity for the two countries to update each on domestic developments in their respective countries.
For further information please contact Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO on 082 884 5974
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
460 Soutpansberg Road
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