Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
7 December 2000
President Thabo Mbeki will pay a State Visit to Brazil and also attend the MERCOSUR/L Presidential Summit, from 12 - 15 December 2000. President Thabo Mbeki will be the second Head of State outside South America to attend and address the MERCOSUR/L Presidential Summit. Significantly, the first non-Mercosur Head of State to address this trading block was former President NR Mandela, on 24 July 1998, in the Argentine City of Ushuaia.
President Thabo Mbeki will be accompanied by a high level delegation which will include the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Alec Erwin, The Minister in the Presidency, Dr. Essop Pahad and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Aziz Pahad.
President Thabo Mbeki will meet and hold discussions on a wide range of issues of bilateral and common interest with his counterpart, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Issues to be discussed, among others will be the consolidation of the bilateral relations and strategic partnership, focus on the expansion of economic ties, more regular contact and international security issues such as drug-trafficking and trade on small arms. It is also envisaged that an Agreement establishing a South Africa / Brazil Joint Commission will be signed.
In addition, President Mbeki is scheduled to meet with the President of the Brazilian Federal Senate, His Excellency Senator A C Magalhaes the president of the Federal Chamber of Deputies in the National Congress, His Excellency M Temer (MP), Mr Justice CM Da Silva Velloso, President of the Supreme Court of Brazil.
President Mbeki will receive an Honorary Degree from the University of Bahia, in the city of Salvador, Bahia. At this occasion the President will offer a lecture on African Renaissance.
President Mbeki is scheduled to deliver an address at a reception, which will be co-hosted by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer; EMBRAER and Mercedes Benz do Brazil. The function is to be attended by a large number of Brazilian Captains of Industry, Pursuant to further entrenching our relations with MERCOSUR/L - the third largest trading bloc in the world, producing USD 1 trillion in goods and services - it is envisaged that a Framework Agreement will be signed between South Africa and MERCOSUR/L during the visit. This Agreement will establish terms of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement, which will offer vast opportunities for exporters of both regions.
MERCOSUR, which aims at gradually lowering tariffs between member states, was launched by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991, and formed on 1 January 1995.
MERCOSUR comprises Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Chile and Bolivia as associate members, (participating in the Free Trade Area, but not the Customs Union). This 204-million consumer market has one of the highest per capita income amongst emerging countries.
For enquiries contact Dumisani Rasheleng
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