SA President jetting off to Ivory Coast for AU-EU summit

November 26, 2017
| Report Focus News
epa04616266 South African President Jacob Zuma arrives for the opening of parliament to deliver his State Of The Nation Address in Cape Town, South Africa, 12 February 2015. Reports state that South African President Jacob Zuma is expected to be met with hostility during his State of the Nation speech, with questions being raised over the corruption scandal surrounding his 20 million euro private estate, a national electricity crisis and oppostion parties threatening to disrupt his speech. EPA/NIC BOTHMA / POOL

President Jacob Zuma is jetting off to the Ivory Coast this week to attend the Fifth African Union-European Union (AU-EU) summit, the presidency said on Sunday.

South African President Zuma’s visit starts on Tuesday, and he will attend the summit on Wednesday and Thursday which is themed “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”.

“The summit is anticipated to focus on the importance of the youth in the two regions’ socio-economic development programmes,” the Presidency said.

Delegates would also work on the objectives of the AU’s “Agenda 2063”, and some of its flagship projects.

Agenda 2063 is a plan for the socio-economic transformation of the continent.

They would also adopt “joint priority projects” for 2018 to 2022 to mobilise investments for Africa’s structural transformation, human capacity development, capacitating the youth, as well as to address peace and security and good governance.

Also on the agenda will be mobility and migration, trade and investment, co-operation in peace and security, and co-operation on governance between the two regions.

Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Bulelani Magwanishe will attend with Zuma.