Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
25 April 2000
The Department of Foreign Affairs announces the arrival in South Africa on Wenesday 26 April 200 of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for the second session of the South Africa-Nigeria Binational Commission due to be held in Pretoria and Cape Town form 26 to 29 April 2000.
Vice-President Abudakar will be accompanied by his wife and a high-level delegation which will include the Governor of Kebbi State, the Ministers of Agriculture, Commerce, Industries, Solid Minerals Development and Co-operation and Integration in Africa, the Minister of State (Deputy Minister) for Foreign Affairs and senior Government officials.
This second session of the South Africa-Nigeria Binational Commission, which will be co-chaired by Deputy President Jacob Zuma and Vice-President Abudakar, follows on the inaugural session of the Commission which was held in Abuja, Nigeria from 4 to 5 October 1999.
Following the official opening ceremony of the second session of the Commission at the Union Buildings on Wednesday 26 April 2000 (at 17:00), Deputy President Zuma will host an official dinner in honour of his Nigerian counterpart and his delegation (at the Presidential Guesthouse). On Freedom Day, the Nigerian Vice-President will accompany Deputy President Zuma to the unveiling ceremony of the new South African National Coat of Arms due to be held in Bloemfontein, while governmental working groups from the two countries will meet to assess the progress made thus far with regard to co-operation within the various sectors of government and hold discussions on the strengthening of co-operation in this regard. The session will also provide the opportunity to discuss multilateral political and economic issues affecting the African continent and to reflect on possible joint positions on these issues within the context of the United Nations
On Friday 28 April 2000, Deputy President Zuma and Vice-President Abudakar and their respective delegations will travel from Pretoria on the Blue Train to Cape Town, where Vice-President Abudakar will host a lunch for South African business leaders on Saturday 29 April 2000. It is also envisaged that a number of co-operation agreements - including an Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation - will be signed in Cape Town on 29 April 2000.
The South African-Nigeria Binational Commission was established soon after Nigeria's welcome return to civilian government in 1999 on the basis of a shared desire to promote sustainable security, stability and co-operation in support of sustainable development in their respective countries and on the African continent as a whole as well as on the two countries' commitment to the universal norms of equality, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. In this regard, South Africa considers Nigeria - a leader on the African continent - as an indispensable partner in promoting the African Renaissance and foresees that the partnership between the two countries can only benefit the continent as a whole.
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa Cell no: 082-9904-853