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15 November 2007

Pretoria: South African President Thabo Mbeki will on Friday evening 16 November 2007 address the African Diaspora Ministerial Conference scheduled from 16-18 November at Gallagher Estate, Midrand. The conference will be opened earlier in the day by South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Professor Alpha Konare, Chairperson of the Africa Union.

The Ministerial Conference was preceded by a senior officials meeting opened on Wednesday, 14 November by Foreign Affairs Director-General Ayanda Ntsaluba.

The African Diaspora Ministerial Conference is part of build-up towards the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) and the African Diaspora scheduled to be held in South Africa in the first half of 2008.

The African Diaspora Ministerial Conference will bring together delegates from Africa, Latin America, North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Caribbean including a number of African foreign ministers.

"The African Union has declared the African Diaspora as the 6th region of the African Union and connects Africa - the Mother Continent - with all the Africans outside its borders. It symbolically defines what binds us together, who we are, what values we share, as well as to amass our collective strength and wisdom as Africans" says Minister Dlamini Zuma.

"There is an increasing global attention on the Africans in Diaspora as their influence not only in terms of skills but their financial impact is now being acknowledged as an alternative source of funding as part of the development of the continent," continued Minister Dlamini Zuma.

"The African Diaspora Ministerial Conference follows the African Union (AU) Diaspora Regional Consultative Conferences (RCCs) held in Latin America, United Kingdom, North America, Caribbean, Europe and Africa. The convening of the RCCs was predicated by the need for consultation with the African Diaspora in regions where they have a relatively high presence. This process allowed the AU to galvanise their views and recommendations in preparation for the Ministerial Conference being hosted by South Africa," said Minister Dlamini Zuma.

"The Ministerial Conference will consolidate these views and recommendations into a draft Programme of Action to be adopted by the Summit to be hosted in South Africa in 2008," said Minister Dlamini Zuma.

"In addition, the Conference aims to produce a framework, programme of action and draft Declaration that will be presented to the Heads of State Summit in 2008. The programme of action will include lobbing for support (financial and technical); co-ordination and ownership of the African Diaspora; and integration of programmes for vulnerable groups," concluded Minister Dlamini Zuma.

The 2008 African Diaspora Summit will aim to:

* create sustainable partnerships between the African Diaspora and the African continent through a realisable Programme of Action
* create sustainable dialogue, partnerships and strengthen Pan African solidarity for a better Africa and its Diaspora
* promote South-South co-operation in the betterment of the African continent and its Diaspora.

Media programme for African Diaspora Ministerial Conference

Friday, 16 to Sunday, 18 November 2007

Friday, 16 November 2007

14h00: Arrival of media for opening plenary of African, Diaspora Ministerial Conference
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng

Media will not be allowed access without accreditation

14h30: Opening Plenary of African Diaspora Ministerial Conference

Order of Proceedings:
Remarks by South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
Poetry item
Cultural item by Ambassador Mirriam Makeba
Poetry
Address by Chairperson of the AU Commission Professor Omar Konare
Statement by Ambassador Dudley Thompson (Caribbean Pan-Africanist)
Statement by Ambassador Colin Granderson, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General

19h00: Arrival of media ahead of address by President Thabo Mbeki to delegates
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng

Media will not be allowed access without accreditation

19h30: Address by President Thabo Mbeki

Saturday, 17 November 2007

Conference closed to the media

20h15: Media to arrive for Cultural Exposition
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng

Media will not be allowed access without accreditation

20h30: Cultural Exposition

Sunday, 18 November 2007

11h30: Arrival of media ahead of Closing Plenary of African Diaspora Ministerial Conference
Venue: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Gauteng

Media will not be allowed access without accreditation

12h00: Closing Plenary of African Diaspora Ministerial Conference

Order of Proceedings:
Closing Remarks by the Chairperson of the African Union
Closing Remarks by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission
Closing Remarks by CARICOM
Joint Press Conference

Live photo accreditation cards will be produced and media will be required to obtain these in person from the accreditation centre that will be operational from Monday, 12 November 2007 at Gallagher Estate.

Media are required to present the following documentation in order to be accredited:

* official identification (passport or South African identity document and

* press card

A media centre will be operational at Gallagher Estate from Wednesday, 14 November 2007.

For further information contact:
Manusha Pillai
Cell: 082 389 3587

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
15 November 2007
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (http://www.dfa.gov.za)