To           : All Media
Date       : 26 May 2025

The Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Hon. Mondli Gungubele is this week embarking on official visits to Dubai, United Arab Emirates accompanied by the DCDT Director General, Ms. Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani for the SAMENA Leaders Council Summit on 26 - 27 May 2025 where he will deliver remarks at the Opening Plenary Session as well as chair the G20 Ministerial Roundtable.

The SAMENA Telecommunications Council is convening policymakers, industry leaders, and businesses at its annual Leaders’ Summit under the theme, "Intelligent & Sustainable Transformation of Digital Economies.”

The Deputy Minister is looking forward to advancing the country’s position on issues related to ICT and our G20 Presidency.

Following this visit, he will participate in the Africa Internet Governance Forum at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania from 29 - 31 May 2025.

The AfIGF is aimed at strengthening linkages and collaboration among relevant stakeholders in Africa as a means of maximizing the continent’s benefit from the ever- growing digital economy. The audience of the AfIGF consists of government, ICT community, business, research, academia and civil society representatives.

The Department’s participation will seek to influence and advocate the impact of Artificial Intelligence, its disruptions and governance in the context of Internet Governance; the development of the digital economy within the context of Internet Governance and 4IR as well as to inform the development of South Africa’s positions on the various public policy internet issues. These positions will then be advocated at various international platforms such as African IGF, UNIGF respectively, WSIS +20 Review, G20, etc.

Finally, the Deputy Minister will represent South Africa at the 11th BRICS Communications Ministers Meeting in Brasilia, Federative Republic of Brazil on 2 June 2025.

The participation of South Africa in BRICS is obligatory given the strategic nature of BRICS in South Africa’s foreign policy and national interest. This year is particularly significant as Brazil is the previous chair of the G20 and has made an effort to create synergy between the agenda of BRICS and of the G20 as chaired by South Africa this year in 2025.The participation of the Deputy Minister will be an opportunity to engage bilaterally and influence the nine (9) BRICS members in line with the country’s agenda for the G20 Digital Working Group Ministers Meeting later in the year.

FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Media Liaison Officer        : Ms Tlangelani Manganyi

Cell                                    060 886 4670

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URL                                 : www.dcdt.gov.za

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Issued by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies

Download Document here: Deputy Minister Mondli Gungubele on Official Visit to the United Arab Emirates, Tanzania and Brazil