Union (AU) Foreign Ministers' meeting
14 November 2006
Brussels - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on
Wednesday, 15 November depart Brussels for Addis Ababa where she will lead a
South African delegation to the Extraordinary Session of the African Union
Executive Council of Foreign Ministers to discuss proposals for the
establishment of the African Union Government, scheduled for Ethiopia from
Friday - Saturday 17-18 November 2006.
Minister Dlamini Zuma is in Brussels where she is currently leading a South
African delegation including Minister Lulu Xingwana, Deputy Minister Derek
Hanekom, Foreign Affairs Director-General Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba and other senior
government officials to the South Africa (SA) - European Union (EU) Joint
Co-operation Council within the context of efforts aimed at increasing trade
and market access with a view to a faster and shared economic growth in SA. In
this context, Minister Dlamini Zuma also held bilateral discussions with her
Belgian counterpart on political, economic and trade relations.
In Ethiopia, Minister Dlamini Zuma will attend the AU's Executive Council
meeting within the context of SA's commitment to strengthening the institutions
of the African Union. The Extraordinary Ministerial session of the AU is
expected to deliberate on the proposals for the establishment of an African
Union Government. The outcomes of this session will be submitted to the Summit
of Heads of State and Government at its Assembly in January 2007.
The January 2006 AU Summit mandated the Committee of Seven Heads of State,
under the stewardship of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, to conduct a
Study on an African Union Government. The Committee was specifically tasked
with considering the need for an African Union Government, its Strategic Policy
domain, its implications in terms of institutions and programmes and finally,
to propose a Road Map for the establishment of an African Union Government. The
July 2006 Summit decided that the document should be referred to an
Extraordinary Ministerial meeting for further deliberation.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
14 November 2006
