The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Ms Elizabeth Thabethe will lead a delegation of business people on an Outward Selling and Investment mission to the cities of Istanbul and Ankara in Turkey from 24 to 29 November 2013.
The mission, which aims to build on the one held in November 2012, will assist South African companies to promote investment opportunities, explore joint ventures and also provide a platform to promote South African manufactured products to potential new Turkish partners.
Deputy Minister Thabethe says South Africa and Turkey are two countries racing in the same group to attract foreign capital, even though they are on different continents.
“Both South Africa and Turkey feature in one another’s top 40 list of imports and export trade partners. The two countries are regional powerhouses in their respective regions. South Africa’s exports to Turkey have also been steadily increasing to an extent that the trade deficit in favour of Turkey has been significantly reduced,” says Thabethe
Thabethe adds that it is imperative that South Africa takes advantage of these favourable conditions in order to assist the companies to explore the Turkish trade market and its offerings.
According to Thabethe, the sectors targeted for the mission are energy, mining and jewellery, infrastructure, Information and Communication Technology, capital equipment and engineering, and textiles and clothing.
Mpumalanga’-based businesswoman, Ms Windy Siluma of DIS Jewellery Designs says she found out about the upcoming trade mission through a platinum incubator in Rustenburg.
“I have been in the jewellery making business for eleven years now and have always wanted to expand internationally. This mission will provide a gateway for me to explore the Turkish trade market and it will also serve as a platform where I will meet potential customers. I will be taking along some of my best silver pieces to ensure that I establish a presence in the Turkish market,” says Siluma.
The planned activities for the mission will include trade and investment seminars, business-to-business meetings, round table discussions and site visits to potential partner projects.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe, Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
