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Mr Thabo Mbeki, South African Executive Deputy President, will visit Australia as a Guest of Government from 24 April to 29 April 1995. Executive Deputy President Mbeki has accepted the Government's invitation conveyed by Senator Evans in November 1994, to address a plenary session of the 1995 Global Diversity Conference to be held in Sydney from 26 to 28 April 1995. Mr Mbeki will be the keynote speaker on the morning of Thursday 27 April 1995.
Mr Mbeki will be accompanied on his visit to Australia by his wife, the Deputy Foreign Minister of South Africa, Mr Aziz Pahad, and by a senior official from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
During his visit to Australia Mr Mbeki will meet the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, Federal and State Ministers and senior business people.
Following Senator McMullan's visit to South Africa in March 1995, South African Executive Deputy President de Klerk's visit to Australia in February 1995, and in light of Senator Evans' forthcoming trip to South Africa, Mr Mbeki's visit provides a further opportunity to strengthen an already solid and expanding relationship between Australia and South Africa.
Mr Mbeki has also accepted an invitation by Melbourne University to attend its United Nations 50th Anniversary Conference to be held from 27 to 29 April 1995. The University of Melbourne has invited Mr Mbeki to deliver either the Conference's keynote or luncheon address on 28 April.
CANBERRA