Pretoria - A high-level South African delegation will today leave for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly and plenary meeting on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
The delegation, led by International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, will present South Africa's position on the global world issues and will join the discussion on the progress in the fulfilment of the MDG goals, ten years after and five years before the deadline.
South Africa will use the 65th Session as an opportunity to lobby and present its bid to be elected to the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), International Relations' Saul Molobi said on Monday.
"South Africa's approach and participation in the UNGA65 is to promote the country's international relations policy objectives and positions in an integrated and coherent manner within the General Assembly and related events."
Debates by world leaders will centre on issues such as the promotion of sustainable development, promotion of human rights and maintenance of peace and international security, among others.
In this light, Molobi said the global challenges of the world required a strengthened UN that is able to adapt and provide a framework for collective responses by the international community.
"South Africa's approach is informed broadly by its belief in multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations in this regard," he noted.
South Africa and other developing countries are behind a call for permanent reforms for UN organisations, particularly the UN Security Council (UNSC).
Following the UNGA will be the MDG summit, from Monday until Wednesday, where the analysis on the fulfilment of the goals until 2015 will be the centre of attention.
The MDGs, crafted at a UN meeting 10 years ago, are regarded as the world's most focused time-bound and quantified targets for addressing poverty, hunger, disease and lack of adequate shelter and sanitation worldwide.
Noting that progress in the implementation of the MDGs has been uneven, Molobi said South Africa will call on the international community to recommit to meeting the Millennium Development Goals, especially to Sub-Saharan Africa.
"The South African delegation to UNGA65 will therefore continue to advocate for dialogue among stakeholders for the fulfilment of the pledges to effect progress in fighting poverty and sustaining the gains already made," said Molobi, adding that the country remains deeply committed to achieving global priorities with a view to ensuring a better world for all who live in it.
Nkoana-Mashabane will be accompanied by the Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi, the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica and Deputy Minister of Public Works Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu.
