Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
VISIT OF DANISH PRIME MINISTER, MR POUL NYRUP-RASMUSSEN, TO SOUTH AFRICA FROM 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 1998
The Danish Prime Minister, Mr Poul Nyrup-Rasmussen accompanied by his wife, Mrs Lone Dybkjaer, will pay an official visit to South Africa from 9 to 15 February 1998, at the invitation of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki. The Prime Minister and his delegation will visit the Western Cape Province, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
During his visit Prime Minister Nyrup-Rasmussen will meet with among others President Mandela, Deputy President Mbeki, Dr Frene Ginwala, Minister Alfred Nzo, Minister Tito Mboweni, Minister Derek Hanekom, Deputy Minister Peter Mokaba and Deputy Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. The Prime Minister will also address a sitting of Parliament.
In addition Prime Minister Nyrup-Rasmussen will hold meetings with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; the National Parks Board; and Nedlac where a round table discussion will be held with representatives of organised labour and business. The Prime Minister will also visit Robben Island; the Western Cape National Access consortium; a land reform project in Paarl; a community project in Stawela informal settlement, Alexandra; a Danish-South African Business-to-Business project; and a social forestry project in Bushbuckridge.
All the above-mentioned organisations and projects enjoy Danish support and assistance. Denmark was one of the first countries, with the advent of democracy in South Africa, to provide transitional development assistance to South Africa for a five year period, commencing in 1994 and amounting to DKK 750 million (R520 million) in total. This transitional aid programme comes to an end on 31 December 1998. It was agreed that emphasis would be laid on four areas i.e. democratisation and the prevention of violence; land reform and rural development; education; and business and employment promotion amongst disadvantaged communities. This aid is channelled through the official Danish development cooperation organisation, DANIDA. In addition, the Danish Government provides grants for special environmental initiatives, available through the Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development (DANCED). An important part of the Prime Minister's visit will be to gain a firsthand impression of Danish projects in South Africa.
Denmark is also active within Southern Africa and has indicated that it would support, with other Nordic countries, the promotion of SADC's peacekeeping capabilities. In January 1998 Denmark arranged for a delegation of SADC Foreign and Defence Ministers, which also included Foreign Minister Alfred Nzo, to visit Denmark and Bosnia to acquaint themselves with Danish peacekeeping capabilities and operations.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 08 FEBRUARY 1998