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7 September 2007

The world cannot continue ignoring the overwhelming poverty experienced by many people in the developing world, particularly in Africa, said Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. The Deputy President was addressing the annual Ambrosetti Foundation Forum at Lake Como, Italy on 7 September 2007.

Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka said that over the past twenty years, the world has been growing richer and richer yet on the other side the poor have been getting even poorer. The Deputy President highlighted the fact that the majority of the promises made at Glen Eagles to the developing world have not been fulfilled.

"Some of the people, who can change the deadlock at the Doha round table negotiations, are sitting in this forum. That is why it is important to raise these matters here," continued Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka.

The Deputy President also highlighted the concerns of global warming and the effect it would have on the African continent in particular. She said if the whole world did not unite to fight this problem, the result would be a lose-lose scenario. She urged the world leaders gathered at the forum to take this and other matters even more seriously.

Among the leaders who were present at the forum are, President Giorgio Napolitano of the Republic of Italy; President Shimon Peres of the State of Israel, President Václav Klaus of the Czech Republic; Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Youssef Boutros Ghali, Minister of Finance both of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Christine Lagarde Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment of France.

Commenting on her entire visit to Italy, the Deputy President highlighted that Italy would concentrate on South Africa for the next three years. The industry sectors that South African and Italian businesses could concentrate on were: tourism, infrastructure improvement, automobile, and the jewellery sectors.

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Issued by: The Presidency
7 September 2007
Source: SAPA