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International engagements by the Minister of Social Development
24 August 2007
1. African Diaspora Conference
Minister for Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya will represent South Africa on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the African Diaspora Global Conference to be held in Barbados from 27 to 28 August, 2007. The conference will set the tone of the African Union (AU) Global Diaspora Conference to be held in November 2007 and ultimately an AU Global Diaspora Summit to be held in early 2008. The conference seeks to:
* strengthen bonds of friendship and affinity amongst and between the people of the African Continent, the Caribbean region and the world
* restore the soul, image, dignity, identity and self actualisation of an African in the world
* strengthen the cultural and information exchange
* develop mutual support for each other's programmes
* promote greater focus on the economies so as to encourage better investments and trade flows
* promote co-ordinated approach and regard in the international forum
2. Cuban co-operation
As consolidation of prior engagements with the government of Cuba, Minister Skweyiya accompanied by MECs for Social Development in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo will visit Cuba from 1 to 7 September 2007 to sign an agreement of co-operation on the areas of:
* training of Social Workers
* training of Auxiliary Social Workers and Community Development Workers
* Expanded Public Works Programmes, with an emphasis on youth employment creation in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) and care sectors.
Enquiries:
Lakela Kaunda
Cell: 082 782 2575
E-mail: Lakela@mobileemail.vodafonesa.co.za
Issued by: Department of Social Development
24 August 2007