Pretoria - The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sue van der Merwe will lead a delegation to participate in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development TICAD IV follow up meeting ion Gaborone this weekend.
The aim of the ministerial-level meeting is to examine and assess the progress on the implementation of assistance measures agreed to at Yokohama in May 2008 and discuss the action plan adopted at this summit.
South Africa is expected to make a keynote presentation during the fourth plenary session of the meeting focussing on the "Impact of the Global Economic Crisis and Economic Downturn", ahead of the G20 Summit Meeting on Financial Markets and the World Economy to be held in London in April 2009.
In this regard TICAD IV will focus on the state of progress in respect of the Yokohama Action Plan, and future challenges; boosting economic growth; achieving the Millennium Development Goals and other issues around health, education and community development.
The meeting will also provide an opportunity to further North-South cooperation for the social and economic development of Africa.