South African President Thabo Mbeki is expected in France Friday where he will attend the first European Union-South Africa summit, official sources announced.
Shortly on arrival Friday, Mbeki will meet with European Commission Chairman, Jose Manuel Barroso, and the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country currently holds the presidency of the European Union (EU), to assess the implementation of the strategic partnership and the action plan launched in May 2007, said a statement by the French presidency.
The three officials will discuss issues of mutual interest to South Africa and the EU — global issues related to climate change, migration and food security.
Economic issues, such as the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the role of the private sector in Africa’s development, will also be a serious agenda during the summit.
The meeting will also address security issues, including the crisis in Zimbabwe, the crisis between Sudan and Chad, and the situation in the Middle East.
PANAPRESS
