Issued by: National Department of Agriculture
PRESS STATEMENT BY MS BONGIWE NJOBE-MBULI, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL: PROGRAMMES, INFORMATION AND ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
SOUTH AFRICA TO HOST IFAD/SADC WORKSHOP ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN SADC COUNTRIES
Membership of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is of the utmost importance for South Africa, because it is one more step towards the reintegration of South Africa into the international fraternity of countries and organisations involved in reducing inequalities and accelerating worldwide development.
In announcing the National Department of Agriculture's participation in an international workshop on overcomin poverty in the rural areas of Southern Africa, Ms Bongiwe Njobe-Mbuli, Deputy Director General: Programmes, Information and Administration of the National Department of Agriculture, stated that South Africa hopes to benefit from and contribute to this association. South Africa is also proud to host such a workshop at a time when tackling poverty in the country is a national priority.
The workshop is a key event in activities of the 1996 International Year for the Eradication of Poverty and is to be held in Cape Town from 19-22 February 1996.
EFAD is a UN specialised agency charged with assisting the poorest rural people in the developing world. The aim of IFAD is to mobilise additional financial resources from donors to be made available on concessional terms for agricultural and rural development in member states. South Africa was admitted to IFAD in January 1996.
According to Ms Njobe-Mbuli South Africa, as a member, is keen to draw on the wealth of international expertise and experience that IFAD has to offer in alleviating rural poverty worldwide. As a member South Africa can also qualify for concessionary loans.
South Africa is looking forward to contribute to the association and cooperating with IFAD and its members to become the foremost agent for coherent and rational activity in the diminishing of rural poverty.
The workshop under the auspices of SADC, the UN IFAD and the World Bank, will be opened by Deputy President Thabo Mbeki. The opening ceremony will commence at 10:00 on Monday, 19 February. Other participants will include Ministers and senior Government officials from SADC countries, high-level delegates from SADC, IFAD, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPR) and the World Bank, farmers, NGOs and selected multi- and bilateral agencies engaged in relevant activities in the SADC countries.
The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Kraaivan Niekerk, and the Deputy Director General of Programmes, Information and Adminisration, Ms Bongiwe Njobe-Mbuli, will representthe Department of Agriculture on the South African delegation, which includes representatives from the RDP office, NGO's, RDP Rural Development Task Team and the Departments of Welfare and Population Development and Finance.
Media representatives are cordially invitedto attend the workshop. Staff from IFAD and the Department of Agriculture will be available to arrange media interviews for the duration of the workshop. All media with valid press cards are welcome.
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, PRETORIA
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