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Deputy President Jacob Zuma is to visit the United States on 3 December 2003, for a discussion with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and the UN Security Council, on UN involvement in further advancing the Burundi peace process.

The Deputy President will meet with Mr Annan and the UN Security Council on 4 December at the UN headquarters in New York City.

The Deputy President was mandated by the 20th Summit of the Great Lakes Regional Initiative on Burundi, held on 16 November 2003 in Tanzania, to request the UN Security Council to provide direct support to the Burundi peace process to boost implementation of the various agreements.

The Deputy President was asked by the Summit to report to the Security Council, the progress made so far, and request the body to actively become involved with the African Mission in Burundi, taking into full account the qualitative change that has taken place following the signing of the recent agreements between the Burundi Transitional Government and the CNDD-FDD movement of Pierre Nkurunziza, in Pretoria and Dar es Salaam last month.

The signing of the recent power sharing and military transformation agreements has created a total condition of peace and stability in over 95% of the territory of Burundi.

The part-civilian, part-military African Mission in Burundi was established as a stopgap measure until the conditions were conducive for the participation of the United Nations. Troops from South Africa, Mozambique and Ethiopia make up the military component of AMIB.

The Deputy President will return to South Africa on 6 December.

Enquiries: Ms Lakela Kaunda
Spokesperson/Chief Director: Communications
Office of the Deputy President
The Presidency
Tel: 082 782 2575
Fax: 012 326 3010

Issued by The Presidency

1 December 2003