by DIRCO/ Hon. Nomaindiya Mfekeo
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Through our foreign policy endeavours, we seek to build partnerships and create opportunities that would help us address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. The National Development Plan (NDP) provides clearly that we need to scale up economic diplomacy and ensure that the work we do abroad is linked to our national priorities in the areas of skills development, infrastructure development and poverty eradication, amongst others.
Today, we will focus on some of the following matters:
1. Preparations for South Africa’s hosting of the 2nd FOCAC Summit,
2. The importance of the IORA Inaugural Blue Economy Conference in Mauritius, and
3. The outcomes of our recent visit to Iran, Nepal and Bangladesh
1. Preparations for South Africa’s hosting of the 2nd FOCAC Summit
As announced by Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and her Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the recent event in China celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Second World War, South Africa will host the 2nd Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on 04-05 December 2015.
The South African Government will be working closely with the Government of China, the African Group of Ambassadors in Beijing and Addis Ababa, and the AU Commission on the preparations leading up to the FOCAC Summit.
As part of the activities leading up to our hosting of the FOCAC Summit, from today until 11 September 2015, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation is hosting the FOCAC Think Tank Forum. At a later date, we will host a FOCAC Business Forum will be held, where the private sector will be given exposure to network, deepen and expand cooperation on trade and investment.
Available: http://www.dirco.gov.za/docs/speeches/2015/mfek0909.htm