Pretoria: International Relations Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim will, today Friday, 10 July 2009 depart for Portugal to participate in the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies scheduled for 11 to 12 July 2009, in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Community of Democracies (CD) is an intergovernmental organisation of democracies and South Africa participates in this conference within the context of strengthening North-South dialogue and promoting democratic norms and practices around the world. As an active member of this Community, South Africa participated in the previous three biennial Ministerial Conferences, held in Warsaw (2000) Seoul (2002) and Santiago (2005).
Issues for discussion at the fifth conference will, among others, include:
* the implication of the current financial and economic crisis in democratic governance
* democratic governance and development
* future challenges for the Community of Democracies.
The CD is composed of both a governmental component made up of government representatives, and a non-governmental component comprising civil society who meets as a group at biennial ministerial conferences. In 2004, CD governments grouped themselves into a Democracy Caucus in the United Nations (UN).
The CD was inaugurated at its first biennial ministerial conference hosted by the government of Poland in Warsaw, 25 to 27 June 2000 and its chairmanship rotates on a biennial basis. The chairing government is responsible for hosting the biennial ministerial conference, as well as carrying out other CD initiatives.
Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim is expected to return to South Africa on Tuesday, 14 July 2009.
Enquiries:
Nomfanelo Kota
Cell: 082 459 3787
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Co-operation
10 July 2009
