President Thabo Mbeki will chair a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council in New York on Wednesday, the foreign affairs department said.
South Africa holds a rotating presidency of the Security Council in April and has called for a special two-day discussion on the relationship between the council and regional bodies, particularly the African Union (AU).
"This meeting will try to elevate this discussion around co-operation. In particular it would provide an opportunity for a critical appraisal of the role of the UN Security Council in instances of maintenance of global peace and security," Foreign Affairs director-general Ayanda Ntsaluba said on Tuesday.
Member countries of the UN Security Council, the AU Peace and Security Council and African countries which are on the agenda of the Security Council have been invited to Wednesday's discussion.
"It will enable those countries to share experiences in terms of how they have experienced the involvement of the Security Council in their own country.
"Hopefully as a result of that engagement at a high level that would assist in making sure that the Security Council further improves its work and its ability to respond," Ntsaluba said.
On Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will chair another meeting of the Security Council which will try to draft a UN resolution to guide co-operation.
It would deal with the issues of funding, early deployment and logistical support to peace missions. - Sapa