BuaNews (Tshwane)
Luyanda Makapela
6 November 2008
Pretoria — Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Thursday depart to Denmark where she is scheduled to attend the Shield Placing Ceremony of the Order of the Knight of the Elephant.
While on her visit, Minister Dlamini Zuma, will engage in political talks with the Danish government where bilateral relations between the two countries will be discussed.
In a statement released by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, the Order of the Elephant, which was bestowed on former President Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela in 1996, is the oldest and most distinguished order which dates back to the 15th century.
It was bestowed on Mr Mandela by Her Majesty, The Queen of Denmark on 18 February 1996 during the state visit by the Queen, the Prince Consort and the Crown Prince of Denmark to South Africa.
The statutes of the Order were established by Christian V on 1 December 1693.
In earlier times, the Order was mainly conferred on foreign princes and distinguished Danish noblemen but today the Order is almost exclusively awarded to Heads of State and Members of the Royal Family.
Since 9 April 1959, women have also been eligible for admission to the Order, the department said.
While in Denmark, Minister Dlamini Zuma is also scheduled to meet with South African Ambassadors to Nordic countries and hold political discussions with the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Per Stig Møller and Minister of Development Co-operation Ulna Tourneas.
South Africa and Denmark enjoyed good bilateral relations and Denmark was a strong supporter of the anti-apartheid struggle and a major force for sanctions and disinvestment in South Africa.
Denmark has also had an active development cooperation programme with South Africa from the 1960s which was transformed to official assistance from 1995.
Danish policy towards Africa emphasised assistance to support African development by supporting New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
Also the signing on 9 June 2008 of the Declaration of Intent on Partnerships in Africa with the five Nordic countries has put in place an overall framework for cooperation between the other Nordic countries and South Africa with other African countries or regional organisations.
South African exports to Denmark increased from over R450 million in 2000 to over R1.38 billion in 2007 while imports from Denmark increased from over R860 million to nearly R2 billion during the same period.
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