Conference
15 November 2007
Pretoria: South African President Thabo Mbeki will on Friday evening 16
November 2007 address the African Diaspora Ministerial Conference scheduled
from 16-18 November at Gallagher Estate, Midrand. The conference will be opened
earlier in the day by South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and
Professor Alpha Konare, Chairperson of the Africa Union.
The Ministerial Conference was preceded by a senior officials meeting opened
on Wednesday, 14 November by Foreign Affairs Director-General Ayanda
Ntsaluba.
The African Diaspora Ministerial Conference is part of build-up towards the
Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) and the
African Diaspora scheduled to be held in South Africa in the first half of
2008.
The African Diaspora Ministerial Conference will bring together delegates
from Africa, Latin America, North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and the
Caribbean including a number of African foreign ministers.
"The African Union has declared the African Diaspora as the 6th region of
the African Union and connects Africa - the Mother Continent - with all the
Africans outside its borders. It symbolically defines what binds us together,
who we are, what values we share, as well as to amass our collective strength
and wisdom as Africans" says Minister Dlamini Zuma.
"There is an increasing global attention on the Africans in Diaspora as
their influence not only in terms of skills but their financial impact is now
being acknowledged as an alternative source of funding as part of the
development of the continent," continued Minister Dlamini Zuma.
"The African Diaspora Ministerial Conference follows the African Union (AU)
Diaspora Regional Consultative Conferences (RCCs) held in Latin America, United
Kingdom, North America, Caribbean, Europe and Africa. The convening of the RCCs
was predicated by the need for consultation with the African Diaspora in
regions where they have a relatively high presence. This process allowed the AU
to galvanise their views and recommendations in preparation for the Ministerial
Conference being hosted by South Africa," said Minister Dlamini Zuma.
"The Ministerial Conference will consolidate these views and recommendations
into a draft Programme of Action to be adopted by the Summit to be hosted in
South Africa in 2008," said Minister Dlamini Zuma.
"In addition, the Conference aims to produce a framework, programme of
action and draft Declaration that will be presented to the Heads of State
Summit in 2008. The programme of action will include lobbing for support
(financial and technical); co-ordination and ownership of the African Diaspora;
and integration of programmes for vulnerable groups," concluded Minister
Dlamini Zuma.
The 2008 African Diaspora Summit will aim to:
* create sustainable partnerships between the African Diaspora and the
African continent through a realisable Programme of Action
* create sustainable dialogue, partnerships and strengthen Pan African
solidarity for a better Africa and its Diaspora
* promote South-South co-operation in the betterment of the African continent
and its Diaspora.
Media programme for African Diaspora Ministerial Conference
Friday, 16 to Sunday, 18 November 2007
Friday, 16 November 2007
14h00: Arrival of media for opening plenary of African, Diaspora Ministerial
Conference
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng
Media will not be allowed access without accreditation
14h30: Opening Plenary of African Diaspora Ministerial Conference
Order of Proceedings:
Remarks by South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
Poetry item
Cultural item by Ambassador Mirriam Makeba
Poetry
Address by Chairperson of the AU Commission Professor Omar Konare
Statement by Ambassador Dudley Thompson (Caribbean Pan-Africanist)
Statement by Ambassador Colin Granderson, CARICOM Assistant
Secretary-General
19h00: Arrival of media ahead of address by President Thabo Mbeki to
delegates
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng
Media will not be allowed access without accreditation
19h30: Address by President Thabo Mbeki
Saturday, 17 November 2007
Conference closed to the media
20h15: Media to arrive for Cultural Exposition
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng
Media will not be allowed access without accreditation
20h30: Cultural Exposition
Sunday, 18 November 2007
11h30: Arrival of media ahead of Closing Plenary of African Diaspora
Ministerial Conference
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng
Media will not be allowed access without accreditation
12h00: Closing Plenary of African Diaspora Ministerial Conference
Order of Proceedings:
Closing Remarks by the Chairperson of the African Union
Closing Remarks by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission
Closing Remarks by CARICOM
Joint Press Conference
Live photo accreditation cards will be produced and media will be required
to obtain these in person from the accreditation centre that will be
operational from Monday, 12 November 2007 at Gallagher Estate.
Media are required to present the following documentation in order to be
accredited:
* official identification (passport or South African identity document
and
* press card
A media centre will be operational at Gallagher Estate from Wednesday, 14
November 2007.
For further information contact:
Manusha Pillai
Cell: 082 389 3587
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
15 November 2007
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (http://www.dfa.gov.za)
