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The Prime Minister of The Netherlands, Mr. Wim Kok, will pay an official visit to South Africa from 25 to 28 February 2001. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen political and economic co-operation.

Mr. Kok will meet President Mbeki for bilateral talks on 27 February, in Cape Town. The discussion will focus on political, economic and trade issues of mutual concern, debt relief, and UN Security Council reform, the restructuring of the international financial architecture, issues of human rights and the World Conference on Racism, as well as regional developments in both Africa and Europe

Mr. Kok will pay a courtesy call on Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who will host a banquet in Prime Minister Kok's honour in the evening of 27 February at Tuynhuis in Cape Town. Courtesy calls on former President Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu have also been arranged.

During his visit, Minister Kok will meet inter alia with the Minister of Finance, Mr Trevor Manuel to discuss the strengthening of economic and trade ties, and with Minister of Defence, Mr. Mosiuoa Lekota to discuss peacetime military co-operation. The Prime Minister will also meet the Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal to discuss the extensive assistance by The Netherlands to education projects.

Mr. Kok will further meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr FN Ginwala and will address the Members of the Assembly.

South Africa is Netherlands' main trading partner in Africa and is seen as a gateway to interaction with the rest of the continent. Likewise Netherlands is one of South Africa's top ten trading partners and offers prospects of increased involvement in the EU, especially in light of the Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement signed with the EU.

Contact: Ronnie Mamoepa at 012 351 0091, 082 990 4853

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs, 22 February 2001