Home Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will today Sunday, 14 November 2010 depart for Paris, France where she will address the second meeting of the Council of the Socialist International on “Facing the Consequences of Climate Change: The urgent need for a meaningful agreement at the 16th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16),” scheduled from Monday to Tuesday, 15 to 16 November 2010.
Minister Dlamini Zuma will attend this meeting, which follows one held in New York in June 2010, within the context of South Africa’s commitment to strengthen relations with other like-minded political formations around the globe with a view to achieving a just and sustainable system of global political and economic governance.
Issues on the agenda of discussions at the Paris Socialist International meeting will include, amongst others:
- The global economy with particular reference to a social democratic perspective to economic recovery following the recent financial crisis as well as the outcomes of the G-20 meeting held in Seoul, South Korea earlier this week.
- Climate change and 16th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16) to be hosted by Mexico later this year. It is expected that this issue will form a crucial part of the discussions with a view to defining the social democratic priorities on climate change issues which will shape the future and sustainability of our planet.
- Conflict resolution, with a sub-theme strengthening democracy and security, discussions will concentrate on the positive contributions a conflict free society makes on its citizens as well as the world.
The conference is expected to be addressed by, amongst others, the Socialist International Secretary General, Angel Gurría, Secretary General of the OECD, Martine Aubry, First Secretary of the French Socialist Party (PS) and Prime Minister George Papandreou, President of the Socialist International.
Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected to return to South Africa on Thursday, 18 November 2010.
Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
