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30 September 2007

South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will on Tuesday, 2 October 2007, depart for Stockholm, Sweden where she will, together with her counterpart Deputy Prime Minister Maud Olofsson, co-chair the firth session of the South Africa–Sweden Bi-national Commission scheduled from Wednesday to Thursday, 3 to 4 October 2007.

Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka will co-chair this session of the South Africa-Sweden Bi-national Commission within the context of South Africa's priority to strengthen and consolidate bilateral political, economic and trade relations with Sweden with a view to a faster and shared economic growth.

Accordingly, Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka will use her visit to Sweden to build sustainable relations, especially in the light of the transformation of the development co-operation relations, promote economic relations, with special emphasis on investment, Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) and Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa) and explore enhanced co-operation in Africa, both trilateral co-operation and co-ordination of activities to promote conflict prevention and resolution and promote post-conflict reconstruction.

The Bi-national Commission consists of three committees i.e. Political Affairs, Economic Affairs and Social Affairs chaired by the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry and National Treasury respectively.

Issues on the agenda of discussions between Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka and Deputy Prime Minister Olofsson are expected to include, among others:

* the status of bilateral political, economic and trade relations between both countries
* Sweden's support of AsgiSA and Jipsa
* a review of developments in Africa including peacekeeping and conflict resolution
* a review of global developments including the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the comprehensive reform of the United Nations and climate change.

While in Sweden Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka is also expected to hold discussions with SAAB Gripen International, the Swedish Ministers for Employment, Sven Otto Littorin, and Education and Science, Lars Leijonborg, concerning Asgisa and Jipsa, African Heads of Mission based in Sweden, Swedish captains of industry, open a South Africa–Sweden Investment Seminar, present a keynote address at the Swedish Institute for International Affairs.

Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka will also lay a wreath at the grave of Olof Palme and visit the Karolinska University Hospital.

Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka is expected to arrive in South Africa on Friday, 5 October 2007.

Bilateral economic relations
South African exports to Sweden:

2000: R1 046 906 000
2001: R633 097 000
2002: R751 069 000
2003: R820 345 000
2004: R1 200 414 000
2005: R1 589 864 000
2006: R2 968 624 000

South African imports from Sweden:

2000: R2 902 935 000
2001: R2 597 472 000
2002: R3 337 698 000
2003: R3 356 685 000
2004: R4 113 526 000
2005: R4 857 250 000
2006: R5 876 103 000

Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
30 September 2007