South African President Jacob Zuma will lead the South African delegation to the 29th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit of Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place in Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 7 to 8 September 2009. President Zuma will be supported by the International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane, who is already in the DRC cheering the Council of Ministers meeting, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Petterssen, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Ms Maria Ntuli, Director General of International Relations and Cooperation Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, International Relations and Cooperation adviser of President Zuma Ambassador Lindiwe Zulu and senior officials from various government departments.
As the outgoing Chair of SADC, President Zuma will handover the organisation’s chairmanship to the DRC during the summit, however South Africa will remain a member of the SADC Troika until August 2010.
The summit will consider the report from the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on politics, defence and security cooperation on the political situation in the region, with specific focus on Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Furthermore, the summit will reflect on the report of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration, particularly on the impact of the global financial crisis and the region’s response thereto; the status of implementation of the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) and the proposed SADC Customs Union.
In addition, the recommendations from the SADC Council of Ministers meeting will also be considered, including the following:
* review of the socio-economic situation in the region e.g. agriculture and food security, HIV and AIDS and gender
* legal instruments for consideration
* report of the SADC Tribunal
* appointment of Executive Secretary and Deputy Executive Secretaries.
President Jacob Zuma is expected to return to South Africa on 9 September 2009 ahead of the incoming visit of the Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on 10 September 2009 as well as the second South Africa-European Union (SA-EU) Summit on 11 September 2009.
For more information contact:
Nomfanelo Kota
Cell: 082 459 3787
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
5 September 2009
