Consultations with South African Officials

For the first time, on November 3, the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and the Bureau of International Organizations Affairs hosted a consultation with the Republic of South Africa on human rights issues. To promote the President’s Freedom Agenda and advance Secretary Rice’s focus on democracy and governance worldwide, Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Barry Lowenkron, Assistant Secretary of African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organizations Affairs Mark Lagon met with South African Deputy Director General of Multilateral Affairs, Ambassador Sipho Nene; Ambassador to the United States, Barbara Masekela; and, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Claudine Mtshali. They discussed: the formation of the UN Human Rights Council, UN General Assembly Third Committee human rights resolutions, multilateral collaboration at the UN (including the UN Democracy Caucus), and increasing cooperation on human rights initiatives. We look forward to regular consultations with the Republic of South Africa on Human Rights issues.