Pretoria - As the all-important African Union (AU) Summit kicks off in Addis Ababa on Sunday, President Jacob Zuma is set to emphasise South Africa's commitment to democracy and good governance in Africa.
Zuma arrived in the Ethiopian capital on Friday, accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and several other Cabinet ministers. The summit's agenda is expected to be dominated by the political events in Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Somalia and Sudan.
His spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa, said South Africa joins other member states in promoting the theme of the Summit titled "Towards Greater Unity and Integration Through Shared Values".
"The theme puts emphasis on the promotion of democracy and good governance. It emphasises the promotion of human rights through, among others, the development and actualisation of the continental human rights strategy..," Kodwa said.
South Africa remains committed to the promotion of democracy and good governance on the continent which forms the thrust of African shared values.
Kodwa said since Zuma arrived in Ethiopia, he has been engaged in critical meetings with other Heads of State and Government on matters affecting the continent.
He presented a report on progress made on the New Partnership of Africa's Development (NEPAD) Infrastructure development project following a meeting that was held by infrastructure experts and Ministers designated to deal with infrastructure on the continent earlier this month in South Africa.
The project will address challenges relating to regional and cross-border infrastructure projects, limited technical capacity, financial resources and political resources at the highest level. Minister Trevor Manuel is the President's focal Minister on NEPAD's infrastructure development.
"President Zuma will also present South Africa's Second Report on the country's African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) programme of action, which showcases progress made in the past two years in the country in social, economic and political spheres."
The report states that South Africa has become a well-functioning democracy in a comparatively short space of time, since the first historic general elections of 1994 and that SA has consolidated its democracy, which is underpinned by the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law and the promotion of human rights.
The APRM report adds that South Africa has since the dawn of freedom and democracy striven to build a State that unites all the people of the country in their diversity, and to take forward the mission of building a united, non-sexist, non-racial, democratic and prosperous South Africa, building on the success of previous administrations. It outlines achievements in several areas of governance as well as the successful hosting of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
