President Jacob Zuma will lead the South African delegation to the 29th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in the Democratic Republic of Congo next week.

The summit scheduled to take place from 7 to 8 September in Kinshasa, will consider a report on the political situation in the region, with specific focus on Zimbabwe and Madagascar, said the Department of International Relations and Cooperations on Saturday.

The summit will also discuss the impact of the global financial crisis and the region's response on it, the status of implementation of the SADC Free Trade Area and the proposed SADC Customs Union.

Zuma will be supported by the Minister of the department Maite Nkoana Mashabane, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Petterssen and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Maria Ntuli, amongst others.

As the outgoing Chair of SADC, Zuma will hand over the organisation's chairmanship to the DRC.

However, South Africa remains a member of the SADC Troika until August 2010.

Zuma is expected back into the country on 9 September, ahead of the Swedish Prime Minister's visit on 10 September.

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