President Thabo Mbeki will pay a courtesy call on newly installed Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Italy on Friday and Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
”It is envisaged that President Mbeki will reconfirm the important role of the [Catholic] Church in supporting the fight against poverty and underdevelopment,” spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said in a statement.
Mbeki is also scheduled to hold discussions with his Italian counterpart, President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Rome on Friday.
Issues on the agenda are expected to include the consolidation of political and economic bilateral relations, European support for the African agenda, peacekeeping and conflict management in Africa, the forthcoming Group of Eight Summit, and reform of the United Nations.
On Saturday, Mbeki will, at the invitation of United States bank Morgan Stanley, address the European, Middle East and Africa CEO Summit in Venice.
The summit, scheduled from Thursday to Saturday, is the largest gathering of CEOs and chairpersons in Europe, and will represent many leading companies from the respective regions.
”The summit will focus on the impact of global issues on the corporate sector while captains of industry are expected to engage with President Mbeki on the role of Nepad [the New Partnership for Africa’s Development] in the fight against poverty and underdevelopment in Africa,” Mamoepa said.
Mbeki will be accompanied by Minister of Trade and Industry Mandisi Mpahlwa. — Sapa