Zuma returns from G8 summit

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has arrived in South Africa after wrapping up his visit to Italy for the G8 summit.

On Friday President Zuma also met briefly with US President Barack Obama, before the latter jetted off to Ghana.

"In their first face-to-face meeting, Presidents Zuma and Obama discussed, among other things, strengthening relations between South Africa and the United States, efforts to resolve conflict and advance development on the African continent, and nuclear non-proliferation," the Presidency said on Sunday.

President Zuma took part in a number of meetings held during the course of the G8 summit including a meeting of the G5 developing countries, comprised of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.

The meeting reached agreement on a number of matters relating to the current economic crisis, food security, climate change and relations between countries of the North and South. This was followed by a joint meeting of the G5 and G8 countries.

President Zuma also led the South African delegation in the Major Economic Forum discussions on trade and climate change.

The summit ended on Friday with a meeting of G8 countries and invited African countries to look at the impact of the economic crisis and international food security.

While in Italy, the President held a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

These included meetings with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick and President Obama.