President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the keynote address at the second Presidential Health Summit at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg.
According to the President’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, the summit, which starts on 4 May, brings together key stakeholders from various constituencies within the health sector to review the implementation of interventions agreed to during the first meeting held in 2018.
Magwenya held a media briefing in Cape Town, detailing President Ramaphosa’s schedule for the week.
11th High-Level Segment of the Regional Oversight Mechanism
The President will then travel to Bujumbura, Burundi, to participate in the 11th High-Level Segment of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region.
“The PSC framework’s key mandate is to end the recurring cycles of devastating conflict in eastern DRC which impact stability and development in the Great Lakes region.
“The framework also aims at addressing the root causes of conflict in the region,” he explained.
The summit, according to the spokesperson, will take place against the backdrop of the worsening political and security situation in Eastern DRC caused by a resurgence of the M23 rebel movement.
He said the gathering will deliberate on the deployment of East African Community (EAC) troops and their role in dealing with negative forces in the eastern DRC, especially the M23.
The PSC framework, otherwise known as the Addis Ababa Agreement, was signed on 24 February 2013 through an African Union/United Nations-brokered Framework aimed at stabilising the DRC.
At the time, signatories to the agreement included Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the DRC, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
In early 2014, Kenya and Sudan became the 12th and 13th signatories of the framework.
Extra-ordinary Organ Troika Summit Plus
On Monday, 8 May, President Ramaphosa will attend the Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit Plus and Force Intervention brigade troop-contributing countries in Windhoek, Namibia.
The extraordinary Organ Troika Summit Plus will receive a report from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Field Assessment Mission in the Eastern DRC, consider the regional response to the worsening security and humanitarian situation and establish a SADC common position on coordination of interventions and multiple deployments in the Eastern DRC.
Parliamentary questions
On Thursday, 11 May, President Ramaphosa will reply to questions in the National Assembly as part of his ongoing commitment to openness, transparency and accountability.
Working visit by Bulgarian President
On Friday, 12 May, President Ramaphosa will host the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, for a working visit which will focus on the building of political and trade ties, as well as cultural exchanges between South Africa and Bulgaria.
Official Visit by Singapore Prime Minister
President Ramaphosa will receive the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, on 16 May.
“South Africa values its bilateral relationship with Singapore and President Ramaphosa is looking forward to working closely with the Prime Minister in further strengthening the existing relationship between the two countries.” – SAnews.gov.za
