Nkoana-Mashabane on a diplomatic blitz

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will be on a diplomatic blitz in the next few days, which will see her visiting three countries.

The minister will undertake a working visit to Brazil and Argentina between 30 July and 1 August, and attend the inauguration of Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani on 4 August.

In Brazil, the minister will co-chair the fifth session of the South Africa-Brazil Joint Commission - which manages and monitors bilateral relations between the two countries - with her Brazilian counterpart.

“The visit to Brazil will confirm our view that good bilateral relations with Brazil remain fundamental in the success of our other formations such as BRICS, IBSA and our actions in the G20,” her Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim said on Thursday.

In Argentina, Nkoana-Mashabane will co-host the 4th Session of the South Africa-Argentina Bi-National Commission (BNC) with her Argentinian counterpart, scheduled for 1 August in Buenos Aires.

The BNC presents the two countries with a platform to, among other things, share experiences in the UN Security Council, as Argentina is currently a non-permanent member for the region for the 2013/14 period.

After that, the minister will travel to Iran’s capital Tehran for the inauguration Rouhani, who was elected in presidential elections in June.

President Jacob Zuma has already sent his congratulations to Iran’s new president, and expressed the hope that bilateral relations between the two countries would be consolidated under his leadership.

In his congratulatory message, Zuma also requested Rouhani to give priority to resolving all outstanding issues with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as far as Iran’s nuclear programme was concerned.

Doing so, Zuma said, would not only allow Iran to reclaim its rightful place in the international community, but it would also result in the lifting of international sanctions, which have caused immense hardships on the Iranian people.

Ebrahim said Nkoana-Mashabane will use her visit to reiterate President Zuma’s messages in her engagements with the Iranian authorities, while at the same time, demonstrating South Africa’s desire to give new impetus to bilateral relations. – SAnews.gov.za