The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana Mashabane, is scheduled to undertake official visits to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus on 2 and 3 September 2013 respectively. In Moscow, Minister Nkoana Mashabane will be hosted by her counterpart, Minister Sergey Lavrov. In Minsk, Minister Nkoana Mashabane will be hosted by Minister Vladimir Makei.
The Minister's visit to the Russian Federation is guided by the protocol on political consultations (1994) and the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (2006) which mandates the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs to have annual political consultations on key bilateral and multilateral issues.
Similarly, the Minister's visit to Minsk is guided by the Protocol on Political Consultations (2000) which mandates regular Ministeral Political Consultations between South Africa and Belarus.
During the official visits, the Ministers will review the status of bilateral relations, including cooperation in education and skills development, science and technology, agriculture, and exchange views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.
In Moscow, the Ministers will sign Letters of Agreement on the establishment of a Russian Trade Representative office in Johannesburg. Minister Nkoana Mashabane, in her capacity as the Co-Chairperson of the South Africa-Russia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation, will meet the Russian ITEC Co-Chairperson, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr Sergey Donskoy, to review progress on South Africa-Russia ITEC issues and set priorities for the 12th ITEC session to be hosted by South Africa in February 2013.
In Belarus, the Ministers will review progress made since the 2nd South Africa Belarus ITEC Session held and set priorities for the 3rd ITEC session to be hosted by Belarus in the last quarter of 2013.
For enquiries:
Mr Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for DIRCO
Cell: 082 884 5974
