Okay, I am writing a paper and I need to ask you all a quick question... please just give me a short reply, I don't need opinions, just ideas ;) :)

What issues do you expect the South African government bring up at the U.N. at some point in the near future? They must be UN-worthy issues, may it be AIDS programs, or anything of a caliber that would mean a UN presence, or donation, in South Africa.

I will then work from there with those ideas, and maybe work them into my own. However, it has to be something that would line up with the current government's plans/values... It's just that I don't exactly know the current government's opinions on current issues.. :(

Thanks guys,

-thryve

Peacekeeping operations in Africa (or the absence of any meaningful ones).
With particular attention paid to the DRC and Sudan.

Is that something the government of South Africa would be very concerned with?

I would have said burundi would be a key issue as SA has troops there and are basically running the peace process. Also I would say that any issues to do with liberation of world markets/trade is very high on our government's agenda judging by the comments that jabu moleketi made at my law firm last week. Indeed we are currently preparing a legal analysis of South Africa's trade position with the EU for the Finance Ministry (looking at any legal challenges that might be available to SA with regards to the details of current trade rules) It might not be strictly a UN issue although the UN does have some importance as far as global trade is concerned( although I cannot help you with the details of their trade policy as I am a capital markets lawyer not a trade lawyer) Is this a talk for university/law school etc or work?

Well...Zimbabwe comes to mind.

It sure does, but South Africa's government... well, I just don't know their position on that... I'm so confused. Does anyone.

Can someone fill me in on the Burundi situation? Mike2005?
Whoever it is, it would be much appreciated.

-thryve

1. trade and the developing nations
2. south africas role in alleviating poverty in africa
3. aids in south africa and africa in general
4. improved inter-african relations
5. south africas role as a mediator in africa
6.

1. trade and the developing nations

Can you be more specific or give me an example? :)

UN reform is top top top priority of African nations at the moment. They want more influence in the world arena, because they believe it'll allow Africa's issues to be dealt with more effectively. South Africa and Nigeria in particular are the two countries vying for a permanant seat on the UN Security Council.

Thank you Joburg...

thank you everyone :)

Can you be more specific or give me an example? :)

CAP- common agriculture policy in France that Jacque chirac refuses to abolish, which stunts africas economic growth dramatically as african farmers who depend on their agricultural exports cannot compete with the low prices french farmes can offer for goods due to the extremely large subsidies they receive from the french government...this directly affects trade especially for developing nations and goes against the concept of free trade....

An African nation certainly needs a permanent place on the security council, it is essential that a continent, that has over 700 Million people, contains over 2/3rds of the worlds natural recources, and has a history longer than any inhabited place on earth, have some sort of representation. South Africa makes the only sense, and they certainly are pushing for it.

One of the most acenine comments I've ever heard.


"Egypt is too Arab, South Africa is too white, Nigeria is the only TRUE Africa"-Obasanjo


FUCK Nigeria!

Correction, Africa has 900 Million People.

Yeah, to be honest, Nigeria isn't exactly a model country for the UN haha

LOL....Pieter........the 2000 estimate actually gave a figure of 851,601,000.

Besides I said OVER 700 Million....so I'm not exactly wrong. ;)

Well last time I checked this was the year 2005, and the recent figure gave apporiximately 904 million.

I do not think we'll ever know for sure as most African government's do not have an accurate or up to date census head count. Even SA stats on population are not accurate as they do not take into account the immigrants, skilled and non-skilled, that are in the country and there is a discrepancy between Stats SA, the UN Dev. Programme and Economist IU, etc.

That said I think the UN is a joke as it refuses to condemn the tyranny and dictatorship of Robert Mugabe and other Third World despots. the UN allows Libya and Cuba on the council of it's Human Rights Commission. Even the FAO, the UN food relief programme, recently allowed Robert Mugabe to speak at a forum despite that he is starving millions of Zimbweans to death!

An African nation certainly needs a permanent place on the security council, it is essential that a continent, that has over 700 Million people, contains over 2/3rds of the worlds natural recources, and has a history longer than any inhabited place on earth, have some sort of representation. South Africa makes the only sense, and they certainly are pushing for it.

One of the most acenine comments I've ever heard.


"Egypt is too Arab, South Africa is too white, Nigeria is the only TRUE Africa"-Obasanjo


FUCK Nigeria!

HEAR HEAR !!

Hey Enigma, are you now finally in Auckland? Hope you've found the good life you were looking for (I mean it). Now, you would cool down and go easy on SA??

Too white? How is 10% of the population "too white"?

Ask Obasanjo.......