Dlamini-Zuma on Middle East tour
Richard Mantu
10 May 2005
Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has began a four-nation tour of the Middle East to boost SA trade, investment and tourism opportunities in the region. She is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said the visit was part of South Africa's efforts to "expand the frontiers of trade, investment and tourism in the Middle East and Asia region". Dlamini-Zuma visited the Middle East in December 2004.
Her trip comes after her recent official visits to Senegal and the Comoros.
In Senegal, the minister accepted the first biannual African Gender Award for 2005 on behalf of President Thabo Mbeki. The award was in recognition of Mbeki's role in the implementation of the African Union's 2003 Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
In the Comoros, Dlamini-Zuma led the African Union (AU) ministerial
committee on the post-conflict reconstruction and development of the Comoros, in her capacity as chairperson of a delegation of foreign ministers of Madagascar, Mozambique and Mauritius.
The minister starts her Middle East visit in the United Arab Emirates, where she will remain until Friday.
She will pay courtesy calls on President Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces, Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
"Discussions are expected to focus on issues related to the African agenda, including UAE support for Nepad and developments in the Middle East, in particular the Palestinian and Iraqi issues," Mamoepa said.
Discussions may also touch on United Nations reform and regional cooperation between the South African Development Community (SADC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council. There will
also be a review of the relationship between the two countries.
On Saturday, in Yemen, Dlamini-Zuma will hold discussions with her counterpart, Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qurabi, in Sana'a.
The two will discuss political and economic relations, the AU and Nepad, and peacekeeping developments in Africa.
In Yemen Dlamini-Zuma will pay a courtesy call on President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Prime Minister Abdul Qadir Ba Jamal. She will also hold discussions with Minister of Oil and Minerals Rasheed ba Rabaa and Defence General Abdullah Ba Ailaiwa.
On Sunday, Dlamini-Zuma will hold discussions with her Saudi counterpart, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, in Riyadh.
Issues on the agenda will include developments in the Middle East peace process, Iraq and Lebanon.
Dlamini-Zuma will also pay courtesy calls on Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Aviation
Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
She will also meet with representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council and African ambassadors based in Riyadh.
On Tuesday Dlamini-Zuma will visit Bahrain to hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa in Manama.
She will pay courtesy calls on King Hamad bin Essa Al-Khalifa and Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, and hold discussions with Finance Minister Shaikh Hamad bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa.
The minister is also scheduled to meet with representatives of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Source: BuaNews
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