President Ramaphosa arrives in the United Republic of Tanzania for a State Visit and leads delegation to SADC Summit
President Cyril Ramaphosa has this afternoon, 14 August 2019, arrived in the United Republic of Tanzania for his first State Visit since being elected President in May 2019.
The State Visit scheduled for tomorrow, 15 August 2019, will take place at the invitation of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. President John Pombe Magufuli.
The visit will allow the two leaders to discuss bilateral, continental and global issues, and to reaffirm their commitment to further cooperate closely on multilateral issues between the two countries.
President Ramaphosa and his counterpart are also expected to attend and address a Business Forum arranged by the Ministries of Trade and Industry of both countries.
President Ramaphosa will also visit the town of Morogoro, west of Dar es Salaam to express solidarity with and condolences to the government and people of Tanzania following a fuel tanker explosion that claimed more than 70 lives on Sunday 11 August 2019.
President has expressed his sincere regret at this mass loss of life and indicated South Africa’s willingness to offer the United Republic of Tanzania any assistance that may be required following this tragedy.
President Ramaphosa said the tragedy at Morogoro is shared by South Africans for whom Morogoro holds great significance as the site of the first National Consultative Conference of the African National Congress 50 years ago on May 1. The Morogoro Conference brought together and advanced unity among diverse formations in the struggle against apartheid. The conference also issued a clarion call for an intensification of the armed struggle.
Mazimbu, Morogoro, is also where the educational Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College (SOMAFCO), was established by the exiled ANC in 1978.
The college provided educational and vocational skills to young South Africans who had fled the country after the 1976 Soweto uprising.
Following the State Visit, the President will attend the 39th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government on 17-18 August 2019, which will be held under the theme “A Conducive Business Environment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development”.
The theme is in line with previous SADC Summit decisions that endorsed industrialisation as the overarching priority for the region based on the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063).
The Summit will provide an opportunity for Heads of State and Government to be apprised on the overall implementation of the SADC work programme, including the Revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2015-2020) and the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap.
The Summit will be updated on the status of the region's economy, health, and food security. It will provide policy direction about future strategic work of SADC and the SADC post 2020 Agenda.
The Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (Zambia) will also present a report on the status of regional peace and security.
In his capacity as the SADC facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, President Ramaphosa will present a report on developments in the facilitation process during the SADC Troika Summit of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation to be held on 16 August 2019.
The President is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation; Dr Naledi Pandor; the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula; Minister of Tourism, Ms Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane ; Minister of Finance, Mr Tito Mboweni; Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr Gwede Mantashe.
Enquiries:
Khusela Diko
Cell: 072 854 5707
