New York: South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, will today, Thursday, 25 September 2009, depart New York in United States of America (USA), for Margarita Island, Venezuela to lead the South African delegation to the ministerial segment of the second Africa–South America Summit.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane will be supported by Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe as well South African representatives to Venezuela and the African Union (AU), Ambassadors Gila and Pepani. Minister Nkoana-Mashabane was in New York in support of President Zuma who led the South African delegation to the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
President Zuma is currently in Pittsburgh, Pennysylvania leading the South African contingent to the G20 Summit and will proceed to Venezuela. South Africa will participate in the second ASA Summit within the context of consolidating the African Agenda through deepening South–South cooperation. The Summit will also strengthen the continental ties that were forged at the first Abuja Summit as well as reaffirm international solidarity between the people of Africa and Latin America.
Background to the second Africa–South America Summit
The first ASA of Heads of State and Government (HoSG) held in Abuja, Nigeria on 30 November 2006, adopted the Abuja Declaration and the Plan of Action. Key to this Declaration was the establishment of the Africa-South America Cooperative Forum of Heads of State and Government (ASA); that should meet every two years, alternatively in the two regions.
The second Summit between Africa and Latin American countries will be preceded by the Ministerial and senior officials meetings, scheduled for 24 to 25 September and 22 to 23 September 2009, respectively. ASA Summit principally seeks to deepen and intensify South-South Cooperation. In addition the second Summit aims to:
* Adopt strategies and measures that will translate the vision of the Africa-South America Cooperative Forum into concrete economic, political and social benefits.
* Intensify cooperation and consultation at all levels to exploit the immense opportunities which bound the two continents.
* Explore and exploit opportunities for cooperation and collaboration in the areas of agriculture, trade, and investment, energy, technology, water resources and tourism.
* Promote South-South Cooperation and the Consolidation of the African Agenda in the betterment of the African continent and the Countries of the South.
* Develop appropriate common positions in multilateral negotiations such as the reform of the Global Multilateral System of Governance and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Both Africa and Latin America seek congruency on several issues affecting the two regions such as: Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in line with the Common African Position on the UN Reform as stipulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration of the Assemble of Heads of State and Government of July 2005 and; the resumption and successful conclusion of the Doha Round.
Furthermore the two regions have much in common in areas such as capacity building and cooperation in the areas of social upliftment, rural development, tourism, renewable energy, policies on climate change, science and technology, sport, education and cultural exchange, as well as advancement of the interests of the developing world at a multilateral level.
Way forward
The second ASA Summit is expected to adopt a declaration and plan of action as its key outcome. President Jacob Zuma and his delegation will return to South Africa on 28 September 2009 whilst Minister Nkoana-Mashabane will return to South Africa a day later.
For more information contact:
Nomfanelo Kota
Cell: 082 459 3787
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
25 September 2009
