speech
27 May 2007
South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Tuesday, 29
May deliver her annual Budget Speech outlining the priorities of South Africa's
foreign relations for the year 2007�2008.
In this regard, the government has agreed on a set of priorities for the
conduct of South Africa's foreign relations including the Consolidation of the
African agenda, South-South Co-operation, North-South Relations and Global
Political and Economic Governance.
Since the advent of peace, democracy and justice in South Africa, the
country's image has grown in stature and is consulted on major international
relations issues including matters of international peace and security.
On the African continent, South Africa is represented at a bilateral level
on a number of African countries and has contributed immensely to the peaceful
resolution of conflicts as part of its commitment to the consolidation of the
African Agenda. In this regard, South Africa is regarded as an honest broker in
the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
As part of advancing the cause of the Consolidation of the African Agenda,
South Africa continues to build strategic partnerships with countries of the
North with a view to pushing the frontiers of poverty and under-development
through New Partnership for Africa's Development.
At a multilateral level, South Africa has now assumed its non-permanent seat
at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) where it became its President for
the month of March. In this regard, South Africa championed two themes in the
Council focusing on the role of women in peacekeeping to mark International
Women's Day on 8 March and the relationship between the UNSC and regional
organisations including the African Union.
South Africa continues to champion the cause of the developing world by
participation in the Non-Aligned Movement, the Asia-Africa Strategic
Partnership among other fora. In this context, South Africa together with India
and Brazil launched a historic and strategic partnership to advance the
developmental agenda of the South.
Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued: Department of Foreign Affairs
27 May 2007
