BuaNews (Tshwane)
Luyanda Makapela
14 May 2008
Cape Town — South Africa's ability to deal with threats of global terrorism will be determined when the United Nations (UN) Counter Terrorism Directorate visits the country next month.
This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma who delivered her budget vote in Parliament on Tuesday.
She said her department was looking forward to meeting with the directorate and engaging on these issues.
The directorate's task will be to bring a multi-disciplinary team of officials to assess South Africa's capacities and compliance with Security Council counter-terrorism resolutions.
It will further investigate whether the country has systems and policies in place that are adequate in the fight against terrorism
With South Africa bracing itself for the greatest football event ever hosted in Africa - the 2010 FIFA World Cup - the review of the counter-terrorism directorate is seen as of great importance to South Africa.
"Our country stands ready to co-operate to the fullest extent with this directorate because we have implemented certain measures which are appropriate in our circumstances," said Ms Dlamini Zuma.
The minister said South Africa has, together with the general membership of the UN played a major role in establishing the Human Rights Council which is charged with observing and respecting human rights globally.
"We are of the view that none but this council bears the primary responsibility for dealing with global human rights violation," said Ms Dlamini Zuma.
In April the minister said South Africa had been subjected to an external examination under the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review Mechanism in an effort to assist the country in its objectives.
She expressed confidence that in its final report on the country, the Human Rights Council would indeed assist in further strengthening South Africa's ability to protect, promote and advance of human rights.
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