President Cyril Ramaphosa to engage the Diplomatic Corps

President Cyril Ramaphosa will today, 14 September 2018, engage members of the Diplomatic Community accredited to South Africa led by its Dean, Ambassador Bene Lofongo M’poko. 
 
The Diplomatic Corps comprise Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Consuls-General and Charges d’Affaires of 139 missions and international organizations represented in South Africa.  
 
The engagement takes place ahead of the annual 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America set to take place from 18 September 2018 to 05 October 2018. 
 
South Africa successfully campaigned to be elected by the United Nations General    Assembly to serve in the United Nations Security Council for the term 2019-2020 as a non-permanent member. This will be the third time that South Africa will be serving in the Security Council since the dawn of democracy in 1994.

President Ramaphosa has expressed his gratitude to the Southern African Development Community and the African Union for their endorsement and confidence in South Africa’s international cooperation policy informed by the goals and priorities of the African continent aimed at achieving a Africa and a world that is prosperous, peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and united and contributing to a world that is just and equitable. 
 
The President will optimise this engagement to speak to the diplomatic corps about priority issues and programmes that the South African government is pursuing, which includes the International Investment Summit which will take place in October 2018 and the constitutional process of land restitution and redistribution. 
 
South Africa is more committed than ever to work towards greater multilateral engagement by the international community with a renewed to commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security, inclusive growth, sustainable development and protection and promotion of human rights.
 
The media are invited for the President’s Engagement with the Diplomatic Corps as follows: 
 
Date: Friday, 14 September 2018
Time: 10h00 (Media to arrive at 09h00) 
Venue: DIRCO Conference Centre, 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Pretoria
 
Members of the media should send their names ID/Passport numbers to RapakuanaK@dirco.gov.za to RSVP. Members of the media are also requested to present their valid press cards at the point of entry to access the venue.

 
Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President, on 072 854 5707

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria