Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Agriculture Minister Derek Hanekom and Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad, accompanied by senior government officials, will represent South Africa at the United States-Africa Ministerial meeting on Africa, which will be held from 15 March to 18 March 1999, in Washington, DC.
This historic initiative is intended to build on success of the visit by President Bill Clinton to several African countries in March 1998, which included a State Visit to South Africa.
Ministers from an estimated 46 African countries will also attend meetings, together with their US counterparts and other senior members of the US Administration, in order to hold wide-ranging discussions on matters of common interest and explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation between the continent and the US in the 21st Century. The programme for the Ministerial meeting will combine opening and closing plenary sessions with round table discussions and concurrent workshops to exchange views on a wide range of issues, including trade and the global economy, the promotion of democracy, good governance and human rights, investment in human capital, telecommunications, the threat posed by HIV/AIDS and conflict resolution.
The South African Government welcomes the desire by the US Administration to strengthen its ties with the continent of Africa. It is hoped that this historic meeting in Washington, DC, will allow participants to engage each other meaningfully on priority areas for the future direction of the partnership between Africa and the US.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
PRETORIA
14 MARCH 1999