Press Release: Mandelson in Southern Africa to deepen trade and development ties

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson begins a five day, four country trip to Southern Africa that will include attend a meeting in Lesotho of trade Ministers from Least Developed Countries on the Doha Round of world trade talks. Mandelson will also visit South Africa, Botswana and Zambia where he will meet with leaders and representatives of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region for talks on the Economic Partnership Agreements currently being negotiated by the EU and these regions. He will meet, amongst others, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Zambian Minister of Commerce Felix Mutati, Erastus Mwencha, Secretary General of COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa), and Botswanan Minister for Trade and Industry Neo Moroka.