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4 April 2008

Pretoria: South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Saturday 5 April 2008, depart for New Delhi, India where will she attend the inaugural Africa-India Partnership Summit scheduled from 7 Monday April 2008 to Wednesday, 9 April 2008.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will participate in the Ministerial session of the Summit scheduled from Monday, 7 April 2008, that will lay the basis for the Heads of State and Government Summit, to which President Thabo Mbeki will lead the South African government delegation, to be held from Tuesday, 8 April 2008 to Wednesday, 9 April 2008.

The South African government delegation will participate in the Africa-India Partnership Summit within the context of strengthening Africa-India relations in particular, Africa-Asia relations in general and to consolidate South-South co-operation.

In this regard, the dynamic changes taking place both on the African continent and in India have opened new possibilities for a closer partnership. Furthermore, the realities of an increasingly interdependent world has emphasised the need for countries on the African continent and India to work closer together to address common goals and challenges.

Accordingly, the Summit is intended to consider the modalities to strengthen the co-operation ties between Africa and India in respect of economic; political; science, technology, research and development; social development and capacity building; tourism; infrastructure, energy and environment and media and communication.

The Africa-India Partnership Summit provides for the first time, an opportunity for Africa, under the leadership of Africa and India to collectively evolve a comprehensive roadmap for the multifaceted expansion and deepening of a mutually beneficial partnership.

Heads of State and Government of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia are expected to attend the Summit.

The Summit will be attended by African Union (AU) representatives including the current Chairperson of the AU, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, and the Secretaries General of the eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

India and Africa maintain multi-sectoral relations which are reflected in numerous initiatives concluded with a number of African countries in respect of political, economic, security, science and technology, social and cultural issues. These initiatives should result in much needed skills transfer in specific sectors, such as Information Communication Technology (ICT), Foreign Direct Investment into Africa, cooperation in peace and security efforts, good governance, co-operate with African efforts to reduce poverty in Africa, unite to consolidate and drive the position of developing countries at international trade fora such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as it writing off the debt owed to India by the poorest countries of the world, a large number of which were African countries.

Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
4 April 2008