11 January 2006
Washington â South African Foreign Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will
on Thursday, 12 January 2006, visit the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New
York, United States of America, to assume the Chairpersonship of the Group of
77 (G-77) on behalf of South Africa.
G-77 is the largest coalition of developing countries in the UN, which
provides the means for the countries of the South to articulate and promote its
collective economic interests and enhances its joint negotiating capacity on
all major international economic and development issues in the United Nations
system, promote South-South co-operation and strengthen economic and technical
co-operation among developing countries themselves.
It would be a high priority of the South African chairpersonship to maintain
the effectiveness of the G77. South Africa will during its tenure as Chair of
the G-77 be committed to enhancing the position of the Group as a constructive
and responsible partner in promoting North-South relations in support of the
development agenda of the South.
Additionally, the importance for developing countries of the need to
co-ordinate common positions among themselves on global issues is increasingly
being recognised.
Priority issues of the G-77 remain, to ensure:
* The development challenges of Africa and other vulnerable groups of countries
are addressed;
* Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
* Progress with the broader development agenda of the South;
* the full implementation of all major UN conferences and summits, in
particular the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, the Monterrey Consensus and
the World Conference against Racism;
* Improvements in global economic and financial governance; and
* Building and strengthening of scientific and technological capacities of
developing countries.
Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
11 January 2006
