President Cyril Ramaphosa will this week lead South Africa's delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's (UNFCCC) 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai.
The President will lead the delegation on 1 and 2 December 2023, however, in total the conference runs from 30 November to 12 December 2023.
"Following the President's participation this week, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, will stay on and lead the country's participation for the remainder of the conference until 12 December 2023.
"South Africa's delegation to the conference will include government and business representatives in recognition of the value of partnerships in dealing with the challenge of climate change and sustainable development," the Presidency said.
The 18th COP Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP18) and the fourth COP Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) sessions will be convened on the sidelines of the COP28.
The conference will witness the first Global Stocktake (GST), which will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress made since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015.
This will help align efforts on climate action, including measures that need to be implemented to bridge the gaps in progress.
The purpose of the stocktake is to help parties prepare their next nationally determined contributions to the Paris Agreement to raise ambition and accelerate climate action, as well as to enhance international cooperation.
Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa will next Thursday lead government's interaction with the Matjhabeng Local Municipality during the second leg of the District Development Model Presidential Imbizo in the Free State.
The Matjhabeng municipal economy is mainly anchored on the mining of gold and uranium and is the hub of the Free State goldfields.
The Presidential Imbizo will take place at the Kopano Indoor Sports Centre in Thabong, Welkom, within the Lejweleputswa District Municipality.
Under the theme "Leave no one Behind", the President will be continuing on the last visit undertaken on 9 April 2022 in Bloemfontein at the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.
The Lejweleputswa DDM Presidential Imbizo follows on the commitments the Free State Provincial Government made to tackle service delivery challenges during the 2022 Imbizo which was held in Bloemfontein.
Thus, this Imbizo will also take stock of the progress made since the last Presidential Imbizo in the province. During the 2022 engagement, 42 community members representing the seven regions of the Mangaung Metro voiced their concerns to the President.
The towns represented in this discussion included Van Stadensrus, Soutpan, Dewetsdorp, Wepener, Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo and Bloemfontein. Representatives of people with disabilities were also able to raise their concerns.
"As an interactive platform, the DDM Presidential Imbizo allows communities to engage and interact face-to-face with the President, Ministers and the provincial and local leadership face-to-face," the Presidency said.
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The DDM also aims to intensify the delivery of services, promote social cohesion and advance the developmental state agenda, in line with the National Development Plan; and Growth and Development Strategies of the province.
President Ramaphosa will further, on 12 December 2023, host the Inaugural Science, Technology and Innovation Presidential Plenary that will bring together leaders in government, industry, academia and civil society.
"Discussions will focus on progress of the National System of Innovation (NSI) and challenges in this sector, and will explore ways for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and skills development to impact positively on the South African economy," the Presidency said.
