The Minister of International Development, Hilde F. Johnson, will take part in the Africa Economic Summit 2005 in Cape Town, South Africa, on 1 and 2 June.

The Africa Economic Summit, which is under the auspices of the World Economic Forum, is held once a year in an African country. Ms Johnson also took part in last year’s summit in Maputo, Mozambique.

This year’s summit will discuss the measures proposed by Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Africa Commission, and look at the role the private business sector can play in the efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals.

Ms Johnson will moderate a discussion on what can be done to improve the delivery of health services in Africa, and she will take part in a debate on the role of women in African development.

During her visit to Cape Town, Ms Johnson will have talks with a number of African leaders. She will also have talks on development policy issues with government representatives of South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda, among others.

On her way back from South Africa, Ms Johnson will visit Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, for talks with the African Union Special Envoy for Darfur, Dr Salim Ahmed Salim.

Press contact: Senior Adviser Berit Enge, mobile tel.: +47 91 68 30 80