Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma and a ministerial delegation are making their way to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum and also to attract investment into the country, which will boost job creation.
"President Zuma will use the attendance of WEF to market the country, especially the drive to create jobs through attracting investments and boosting economic growth. Among key sessions, the President will host a dialogue with about 60 CEOs of international companies to discuss opportunities in South Africa, assisted by his Ministerial delegation," the Presidency said on Tuesday.
South Africa aims to create five million jobs in the next 10 years in order to reduce its 25 percent unemployment rate.
Under the theme "Shared Norms for the New Reality", this year's meeting will focus on four areas -namely responding to a new reality, economic outlook and policies for defining inclusive growth, supporting the G20 agenda as well as building a risk response network.
Attendance of the WEF 2011 follows on South Africa's invitation to join the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa has also recently returned to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is among the ministerial delegation accompanying the President to the meeting.
"Our membership of BRIC increases strategic cooperation among the emerging markets of the South, and indicates the change and new voice that is emerging globally. We are starting the year on a positive footing and look forward to more successes on the international front, which will contribute to our job creation drive," said Gordhan.
South Africa will host WEF in May in Cape Town under the theme "Shaping Africa's Role in the New Reality".
While in Davos, the President will meet with members of the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel on Global Sustainability. Zuma co-chairs the panel with President Tarja Halonen of Finland. This panel has a special focus on climate change as a sustainable development challenge, addressing its three pillars - economic, social and environmental matters, while also focusing on related issues of food security, energy and poverty eradication.
According to the Presidency, the two co-chairs are currently preparing for a meeting of the panel scheduled to take place in Cape Town on 25 February.
The meeting in Davos will also provide an opportunity for the President to set the scene for South Africa's hosting of the 17th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) on Climate Change to be held in Durban from 28 November to 9 December.
The President will join his Mexican counterpart in a session to discuss the lessons from the COP 15 conference held in 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark, COP 16 held in Cancun, Mexico and expectations from COP 17 in Durban.
"COP 17 will provide an opportunity for Africa to direct attention to the impact of climate change on the continent and the developing world," said the Presidency.
Other ministers who will accompany the President are Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel, Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, Energy Minister Dipuo Peters andTourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.
At the meeting van Schalkwyk is expected to promote South Africa's brand positioning aimed at profiling tourism.
"Because of the country's heavy dependence on foreign tourists, economic conditions in major tourist-generating markets directly affect tourism revenue. The 2008/9 global financial crisis fundamentally changed the economic and consumer landscape and we will be exploring our response to these changes during various meetings in Davos," said Minister van Schalkwyk. Van Schalkwyk is the Chairperson of the WEF's Industry Agenda Council for Aviation, Travel and Tourism.
On Friday, the President will depart for Addis Ababa to attend the African Union Summit, leaving the Ministers to continue with the WEF engagements till Sunday.
