13 September 2006
Brasilia - South African President Thabo Mbeki touched down early this
morning, Wednesday, 13 September 2006 in Brasilia, Brazil ahead of the first
strategic trilateral Summit between India-Brazil and South Africa scheduled for
later today.
This is the first time the South African, Brazilian and Indian Heads of
State and Government - Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Lula da Silva and Prime
Minister Dr Manmohan Singh respectively - meet at Summit level within the
context of the India-Brazil_South Africa (IBSA) Forum.
Previously Foreign Ministers of the three countries have met in Rio de
Janeiro, Cape Town, and New Delhi.
President Mbeki's visit to Brazil comes within the context of the need to
strengthen political, economic and trade relations between the three countries
with a view to advancing and consolidating South-South relations for increased
market and trade access.
President Mbeki's delegation includes Ministers Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma,
Jeff Radebe, Mandisi Mpahlwa, Buyelwa Sonjica, senior government officials and
a large business and trade delegation.
Issues on the agenda of discussions are expected to include, among others, a
focus on
* energy;
* transport
* climate change.
Deliberations between President Mbeki and his counterparts will culminate in
the signing of a number of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding between
the three countries including:
* Renewable Energies (Bio-fuels)
* Trade Facilitation for Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity
Assessment
* Maritime Transportation
* Co-operation in Agriculture and Allied Fields
* Co-operation in the Information Society
President Mbeki is expected to depart from Brazil on Thursday, 14 September
2006 for Havanna, Cuba where he will lead a senior South African government
delegation to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit.
Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
13 September 2006
