President Jacob Zuma and Mrs Nompumelelo Zuma arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport in Mumbai, India this morning, 2 June 2010 ahead of the state visit to the Republic of India.
This is President Zuma’s first official visit to Asia since becoming President of the Republic of South Africa in May 2009. The objective of the visit is to deepen the strategic partnership between South Africa and India; strengthen and broaden economic and commercial interaction between the two countries and expand South-South interaction with a view to strengthen the voice of the developing world.
“The visit provides an opportunity to strengthen the strong bilateral relationship that both countries share while addressing and promoting the importance of trade, industrialisation, agricultural development, transport development, communication and International affairs.” says President Zuma.
Prior to the commencement of the official programme of the state visit, President Zuma will deliver a keynote address at the re-launch of the India-South Africa CEO forum on 3 June in Mumbai.
Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, Mr. Patrice Motsepe will lead the South African delegation of the CEO’s forum while, Chairman of the Tata Group, Mr Ratan Tata will lead the Indian delegation. The launch of the CEO’s forum between the two countries is aimed at boosting investment and trade ties. A delegation of over 200 South African business people will also use the launch of the CEO’s forum to interact with their Indian counterparts.
The official programme of the state visit will begin on 4 June 2010, in New Dehli, when President Zuma will be received by a ceremonial guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Zuma will be formally welcomed by the President of the Republic of India Ms Pratibha Devisingh Patil and the Prime Minister Mannoham Singh.
President Zuma will then visit the Rajghat Samadhi Memorial where he will lay a wreath at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial. He will then take a guided tour of the Rajghat Samadhi Memorial and sign the visitor’s book.
President Zuma and Prime Minister Singh will then hold official talks at Hyderabad House which will centre on deepening strategic partnership between South Africa and India.
Three agreements are expected to be signed after the talks which include a memorandum of understanding on Agricultural Cooperation; an amended Bilateral Air Services Agreement and a Memorandum on Mutual Cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
The three Agreements will be signed by the Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tina Joemat-Pettersson.
President Zuma will also receive courtesy calls from Ms Sonia Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress and Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance and from Ms Sushma Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party.
In the evening, the President of India will host a state banquet for the President and Mrs Nompumelelo Zuma at Rashtrapati Bhavin.
President Zuma and Mrs Zuma are expected to leave India on the evening of 4 June 2010.
Enquiries:
Vincent Magwenya
Cell: 072 715 0024
Issued by: The Presidency
2 June 2010
