Foreign Affairs Minister Dlamini-Zuma and US' Rice to meet on Sunday

5 January, 2007

Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will be leaving for Washington DC, US today to hold discussions with the US’ Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

They will discuss strategies to strengthen relations between South Africa and the US.

The meeting between Minister Dlamini-Zuma and Rice is scheduled to be held on Sunday.

The discussions are expected to strengthen bilateral political and economic relations between the rich US and developing South Africa.

The meeting is a follow up from the one held between Presidents Thabo Mbeki and George W. Bush last month in Washington where they discussed a number of issues.

Presidents Mbeki and Bush also discussed the status of bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries, conflict resolution mechanisms and peacekeeping in Africa, multilateral co-operation including developments in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations and other issues of international concern.

They also discussed South Africa’s accession to the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

“Dr Dlamini Zuma’s discussions with Rice come at a time when South Africa is in the process to consolidate and deepen political and economic relations with the US,” the statement said.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will upon conclusion of her meeting with Ms Rice head for New York where she will participate in a ceremony in which South Africa will hand over the Chairpersonship of the G-77 + China to Pakistan next Wednesday.

The event will also be attended by the new United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon. - BuaNews