Sue van der Merwe
21 August 2006
Tshwane - South African Deputy Foreign Minister Sue van der Merwe today,
Monday, 21 August 2006, received an Iranian women's delegation for a courtesy
call at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
The women are part of an Iranian delegation led by its Foreign Minister
Manoucher Mottaki to the South Africa-Iran Joint Bilateral Commission which
began its deliberations today at the Presidential Guesthouse under the
chairpersonship of South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini
Zuma.
The Iranian women's delegation included Ms Masoumeh Taheri, Director Social
Affairs in the centre for women and family affairs in the President's office
and Dr Tahmineh Daniali, Advisor and Director-General for the Rural Womens's
Affairs in the office at Iranian President with specific responsibility for
agricultural development.
During the courtesy call the Iranian women expressed particular interest in
the empowerment of rural women through agriculture. As part of this objective,
the delegation also met with officials of the Department of Agriculture to
examine ways of future co-operation as well as with the Chief Executive Officer
in the office for the Status of Women in the Presidency, Ms Susan Nkomo.
For her part Deputy Minister van der Merwe shared with the Iranian
delegation the South African government's efforts to empower women to
participate fully in poverty alleviation and personal development since the
advent of democracy in 1994.
Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 9904853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
21 August 2006
Source: SAPA
