The French State Secretary for Cooperation and Francophonie, Mr. Jean-Marie Bockel travelled to South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia from September 9-12, 2007. In South Africa, the Secretary had talks with the Deputy-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Aziz Pahad and visited some projects funded through loans from the French Agency for Development (AFD). Mr. Bockel also took part to the signing of a €40 million Convention between the AFD and the ABSA Bank in favor of social housing projects.

In Namibia, the French Official signed with the Prime Minister, Mr. Nahas Angula, a Framework Partnership Document aims at enabling loans or gifts totaled to €130 million over the period 2007-2012. France envisions to focus its cooperation in that country in the areas of education and infrastructure, notably in the energy sector, with possible recourse to the French Fund for World Environment. Mr. Bockel also proceeded to the launching of a new project amounting to €1 million over three years supported by the Social Solidarity Fund. This fund will be affected in priority to the promotion of Human Rights and to the support of micro-enterprises.

In Lesotho, the State Secretary had talks with the King Lestsie III and with the Prime Minister, Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili. The visit of the French State Secretary was also the opportunity for the delivery of a French food assistance of $500,000 channeled through the World Food Programme (WFP).

Source: French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs