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10 March 2008

South African, Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will today, Monday 10 March 2008, conclude her five day official visit to Switzerland by officially opening a trade investment road show organised by the embassy under the banner, "Business Opportunities in SA," in Zug.

Minister Dlamini Zuma visited Switzerland within the context of South Africa's priority to strengthen relations with countries of the north with a view to consolidating the African developmental agenda.

In this regard, Minister Dlamini Zuma, while in Switzerland visited Berne and Geneva where she held discussions with, President Pascal Couchepin, the current President of Switzerland, her Swiss counterpart, Foreign Minister of the Swiss Federation, Micheline Calmy-Rey, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the Geneva based Human Rights Council Louise Arbour.

Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Micheline Calmy-Rey reiterated their commitment to consolidate and strengthen bilateral political, economic and trade relations between the two countries with a view to giving expression to the status bestowed by Switzerland on South Africa as its most strategic partner outside the European Union in May 2005.

Both Ministers also agreed to maintain trilateral co-operation in third African countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Both countries would also consider other countries in which trilateral co-operation projects could be implemented.

On conclusion of discussions between Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Micheline Calmy-Rey both Ministers co-signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening mutual co-operation through a Joint Working Group (JWG) including a Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Relations.

Thereafter, Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Calmy-Rey, with a view to commemorating International Women's Day, attended a film festival in Geneva which profiled and highlighted woman's issues.

Minister Dlamini Zuma is scheduled to arrive in South Africa on Tuesday 11 March 2008.

Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
10 March 2008