President Jacob Zuma will on Tuesday, 28 November 2017, undertake a working visit to Abidjan in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire to attend the Fifth Summit of the African Union-European Union, which is scheduled to take place from 29 to 30 November 2017.

The Summit will be held under the theme: “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”. The Summit is anticipated to focus on the importance of the youth in the two regions’ socio-economic development programmes.

The Summit is also expected to focus on supporting the objectives of the AU's Agenda 2063 and its flagship projects. It is further expected that the Summit will adopt Joint Priority Projects for the period 2018 to 2022 that would focus on mobilising investments for Africa’s structural transformation, human capacity development, including capacitating the youth, and on addressing peace and security, ensuring good governance and creating resilient societies.

The summit will further discuss issues of mutual concern that affect the two regions including enhancing economic opportunities for youth, mobility and migration, trade and investment, cooperation on peace and security as well as cooperation on governance between the two regions.

President Zuma will be accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Bulelani Magwanishe.