International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has concluded her visit to the People's Republic of China, where she co-chaired the Co-ordinators' Meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which took place in Beijing. The meeting assessed progress in terms of the implementation of the commitments made at the Johannesburg Summit of the FOCAC, held in December 2015.
The FOCAC meetings are aimed at reinforcing the historical solidarity of friendship through win-win cooperation that exists between the governments and people of Africa and China. This refers, in particular, to large infrastructure programmes that complement those identified within the African Union’s vision for the next 50 years, Agenda 2063.
The Minister held bilateral discussions with her Chinese counterpart, Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi, and Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng. The meetings were aimed at reviewing the status of South Africa-China bilateral relations, as well as the implementation of the 23 Agreements signed during President Xi Jinping’s last State Visit to South Africa in December 2015.
Following the FOCAC meeting, Minister Nkoana-Mashabane joined the other African delegations in a guided tour of the Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu Province. After the tour, the delegations held meetings with the leadership of Suzhou, where they exchanged ideas with Chinese officials on cooperation between China and Africa in the field of industrial development.
Minister Nkoana-Mashanane also held a meeting with the President of the BRICS New Development Bank, Kundapur Vaman Kamath, in Shanghai. The meeting focused on the work of the Bank, with particular emphasis on the operationalisation of the African Regional Centre of the BRICS New Development Bank, to be based in South Africa.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane is today, 01 August 2016, proceeding to Jakarta, Indonesia, where she will deliver a special address on behalf of H. E. President Jacob Zuma, at the Opening Session of the 12th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) on 02 August 2016 under the theme: "Decentralising Growth and Empowering Future Empowering Future Business.”
President Zuma has been invited to participate in this Forum to promote South Africa as an investment destination and as a country with a strong and dynamic Islamic community in a secular and multicultural environment. Since the Forum coincides with South Africa’s Local Government elections, the Minister will represent President Zuma at the opening of the WIEF.
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Clayson Monyela
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