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President Thabo Mbeki, who concluded bilateral discussions with US President George Bush in Pretoria, will later today, Wednesday, 9 July 2003, depart for Maputo, Mozambique, to attend the NEPAD Heads of State Implementation Committee meeting and the Second Ordinary Summit of the AU.

President Mbeki who will hand over the baton of leadership of the AU to Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, will be accompanied by the Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Aziz Pahad, respectively.

The NEPAD Implementation Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 9 July, will prepare a report on the progress in the implementation of NEPAD; review the status of the NEPAD Secretariat based in South Africa, as well as interactions that the African leaders held with leaders of the developed North with a view to building strategic partnerships to turn the tide for Africa's renewal.

The NEPAD Implementation Committee takes place against the background of preparations for the 2nd Ordinary Session of the AU Summit of Heads of State and Governments, which will take place from Thursday, 10 July, to Saturday, 12 July, in Maputo under the theme " The Implementation of NEPAD as a contribution to Africa's Development".

The Summit is expected to receive recommendations from deliberations of the Executive Council of Foreign Ministers, which took place from 6 - 9 July, and which includes among others:

* Appointment of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Commission and Commissioners
* Election of members of the African Commission on the Rights and welfare of the child
* Draft protocols on the African Court of Justice; African Charter on Human and People's Rights relating to the rights of women and prevention and combating corruption.
* Conflict situations in the continent with reference to Comoros, Somalia, Sudan, Sudan-Eritrea, peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea, DRC, Angola, Central African Republic, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire
* Implementation of NEPAD

For more information contact:
Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Bheki Khumalo at 083-256-9133

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs, 9 July 2003.