Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane has undertaken a week-long visit to Europe to promote the province and strengthen ties with foreign partners.
The two-part trip will see the Premier and members of the Executive Council (MECs) attend the International Conference on Lands of the World Communities for the world, which began yesterday and will run until Saturday 21 November 2009 in the city of Milan, Italy. The other regions or provinces invited to this meeting include Greater London, Abu Dabi, lle-de-France, Shanghai, California, New South Wales, Bavaria and Ontario. On the African continent, the invitation was extended to the Gauteng Province and the Region of Cairo, Egypt.
The conference, the first of its kind to be hosted by the Region of Lombardia, will discuss the challenges of the current global economic crisis and agree on key interventions to be led by major cities of the world towards economic recovery and sustainable growth. The conference will also explore ways of maintaining lasting relations among like minded regions and provinces.
At the end of the Milan conference Premier Mokonyane and her delegation will proceed to Munich where they will visit the Free State of Bavaria between on 22 to 25 November 2009. Gauteng has a sisterhood agreement with the Free State of Bavaria dating back to 1995.
The areas of cooperation include facilitation of strategic investments in sectors that create decent work and promote the development of small businesses and cooperatives; cultural activities and tourism; education and training with special emphasis on science, mathematics and life orientation; rural development and infrastructure investment; safety and security and exchanges on research and development.
For more information contact:
Thabo Masebe
Cell: 082 410 8087
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
20 November 2009
