Issued by: Office of Deputy President T.M. Mbeki
Deputy President Thabo Mbeki who is on a three-nation state visit to Europe, today held several meetings with political leaders in Sweden including Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson and paying a courtesy call to King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia.
The Deputy President who is accompanied by his wife Zanele Mbeki, Deputy Ministers Aziz and Essop Pahad and Director-General Rev. Frank Chikane, also held discussions with Swedish Speaker of Parliament Mrs. Birgitta Dahl, members of the Foreign Affairs Standing Committee, Foreign Affairs Minister Mrs. Anna Lindh, members of the Swedish Development Agency SIDA and attended a luncheon in his honour hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Mrs. Lena Hjelm-Wallen.
The Deputy President stressed the need to strengthen and consolidate relations between South Africa and Sweden on a variety of areas. The Deputy President expressed his concern regarding the movement of high volume finance capital around the wold in a manner that has had negative impact on world economies particularly the developing world. In this regard, the Deputy President called for closer co-operation to reform multilateral international finance institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank.
Deputy President Mbeki also briefed Swedish leaders of ongoing initiatives to bring about peace, stability, democracy and sustainable development in the context of efforts aimed at the renewal of the continent of Africa.
The Deputy President extended an invitation to Swedish Prime Minister Persson to visit South Africa which was accepted.
Deputy President Mbeki and his entourage will depart Sweden on Thursday 26 November for France where he will attend a Summit on African security.
For more info contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Issued by the Office of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki Communications Division P/Bag X955 Pretoria