The Minister in the Presidency responsible for the National Planning
Commission, Mr Trevor Manuel, is to assist President Jacob Zuma to fulfil
his new responsibility as the African Union champion of the North-South
infrastructure development corridor in the continent.

The African Union has designated some Heads of State and Government as
champions of infrastructure projects in the following sectors: information
and communication technologies, transport, energy, water and agriculture.

President Zuma is the political champion of road and rail links between the
North and Southern parts of the continent, as a member of the NEPAD High
Level Sub-Committee on Infrastructure which comprises Heads of State and
Government from South Africa, Algeria, Benin, Egypt, Republic of Congo,
Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal.

A Ministerial Group on Infrastructure is currently being established to
support the designated Heads of State. President Zuma has tasked Minister
Manuel with playing this role for South Africa, in line with the Minister's
national planning responsibilities.

"We have the enormous task of promoting tangible action, and have to
mobilise resources for the development of infrastructure in the continent.
The time has come to move beyond conceptualisation to concrete projects.
Minister Manuel and I will work closely together to ensure that South Africa
fulfils its continental responsibilities on infrastructure, which have to be
championed from the Presidency. We trust that we will be able to mobilise
the private sector to work with us on this massive but very important
project'', said President Zuma.

Further information on this special project will be available from the
Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in
due course.