Pretoria: South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, accompanied by Mrs Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma led a Ministerial and business delegation for a State Visit to Zambia scheduled to take place from 7 to 9 December 2009.
Supporting the President is the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Rob Davies; Minister of Mineral Resources, Ms Susan Shabangu; Minister of Agriculture, Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson; Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi; Minister of Energy, Ms Dipuo Peters; Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica; Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Blade Nzimande; and senior government officials.
The state visit comes within the context of South Africa's pursuit of the Consolidation of the African Agenda as well as South-South Cooperation and the acknowledgement of longstanding Zambian support of the liberation struggle in South Africa that led to the establishment of a deep mutual bond between the peoples of the two countries.
Accordingly, official discussions between President Zuma and President Banda will include, among others:
* Bilateral issues such as cooperation in various fields such as health, mining, energy and economic corporation
* Regional issues:
* Multilateral issues: this will cover strategic partnership between the two countries placing emphasis on strengthening co-ordination in dealing with issues such as the reform of the multilateral institutions like United Nations Security Council, African Union Commission and Bretton Woods Institutions.
The following Agreements/Memoranda of Understanding are expected to be signed during the state visit:
* Agreement on Regular Diplomatic Consultations
* Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Economic Cooperation
* Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement
* MoU on Mineral Resources
* MoU on Agriculture and Allied Sectors
* MoU on Health
* MoU on Environmental Affairs
* MoU on Energy
* MoU in the field of Education
President Zuma is also expected to deliver the OR Tambo Memorial Lecture at Mulungushi International Conference Centre and he is also expected to commission Zambia's biggest agricultural project, a sugar plantation at Mazabuka, which is an investment by a South African sugar company.
Bilateral relations
Current bilateral relations between the two countries can be described as sound and cordial. Formal diplomatic relations were first established in May 1992 at the level of "representative offices" and were upgraded to full diplomatic status on 10 May 1994.
Former President Thabo Mbeki paid a state visit to Zambia from 30 to 31 October 1999 during which he signed a Declaration of Intent to further improve bilateral relations, as well as implement the General Co-operation Agreement signed in 1996 by Foreign Ministers Alfred Nzo and General Tambo. Former Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa visited South Africa on a number of occasions, to attend meetings of regional leaders. He had expressed the wish to reciprocate the 1999 state visit by former President Mbeki.
This did not materialise until his untimely death in 2008. The Agreement to establish the Joint Permanent Commission (JCC) for the operationalisation of the 1996 General Agreement was signed on 18 October 2005 by the then South African Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Ronnie Shikapwasha.
President Zuma also participated, as a guest of honour, in the February 2009 N'cwala Ceremony hosted by President Banda and Ngoni Chief in the Eastern province, where cultural links between the Ngoni and Nguni people of the sub-region were consolidated.
Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane on 22 to 25 October 2009 visited Zambia to meet and consult with her counterpart, Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande, in preparation for the forthcoming state visit to Zambia by President Zuma.
Economic relations
The following are economic statistics between South Africa and Zambia sourced from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI):
South African exports to Zambia have increased from 2006 with a low of R7,984,27 to R16,346,595 in 2008 while South African imports have increased from 2006 to 2008 with a positive trade balance in favour of South Africa.
Upon conclusion, President Jacob Zuma and the delegation are expected to return to South Africa on 10 December 2009.
For further information please contact:
Saul Kgomotso Molobi
Cell: 082 940 1647
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
7 December 2009
Source: Sapa
