Twelve South African Cabinet ministers would attend the conference with British and European partners in London this weekend to review the country's first decade of democracy and plan for the next ten years.
"The strong delegation we have sent will have the opportunity to interact with a broad cross section of the British people to reflect on our achievements during the first decade of our liberation and to discuss our cooperation during our second decade of freedom," Mbeki wrote in the African National Congress' online publication, ANC Today.
He acknowledged the role played by countries like Britain and India in ending apartheid.
"Their involvement in this struggle resulted in the formation of the strongest international solidarity movement the world has ever seen," he said.
These activists sustained interest in South Africa even after democracy was achieved.
"The British people have been among those who have sought further to deepen their relations with us by extending a hand of friendship and solidarity to us, to give us such support as they can to help us achieve our programme for reconstruction and development".
The conference would examine all aspects of South Africa to find ways in which Britain can further support the country, he said.
Touching on his visit to India last week, Mbeki said the tour had further strengthened relations of friendship and solidarity.
He said up until now relations between the two countries had not reflected the "deep-seated friendship that our people had felt for each other".
"The purpose of our visit to India was to address the matter of our bilateral relations, and thus add to the reinforcement of the process of building South-South relations".
The increased trade that would result from the new trade agreements would help both countries meet their development challenges. – Sapa.
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