2006
7 June 2006
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mandisi Mpahlwa will undertake his first
official visit to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia from 8-10 June
2006. The visit will follow closely on the heels of the AGOA Ministerial
Conference in Washington DC from 5-7 June 2006. Minister Mpahlwa will lead a
high-level business delegation and it is envisaged that the visit will further
strengthen bilateral economic relations between the two countries.
Although the visit will be Minister Mpahlwaâs first to Ethiopia, economic
relations have been revived since 1995 with the opening of the South African
Embassy in Addis Ababa. In May 2005, South Africa and Ethiopia established a
Joint Commission of Co-operation to serve as a platform to facilitate and
strengthen relations between the two countries. The South African Ambassador to
Ethiopia, Mr Baso Sanqcu, has been instrumental in forging political and
economic relations between the two countries.
Despite the lack of a formal trade arrangement between the two countries,
South African exports to Ethiopia reached R162 million in 2005, while Ethiopian
exports to South Africa only amounted to a miserly R9.2 million during the same
period. The skewed trade balance between the two countries is attributed to the
scope of South African exports that are characterised by high-value products
such as motor vehicles, electrical apparatus and chemicals, while Ethiopian
exports are characterised by vegetable products.
It is envisaged that Minister Mpahlwa will hold consultative meetings with
Honourable Girma Birru, Ethiopiaâs Minister of Trade and Industry, as well as
the Ministers of Agriculture, Mines and Energy, Capacity Building and Foreign
Affairs. In addition to addressing the South Africa-Ethiopia Business
Networking Forum, the Minister will also undertake a courtesy visit to Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi.
Furthermore, Minister Mpahlwaâs visit will also help to unlock as well as
establish a footprint for South African private sector institutions to explore
available trade and investment opportunities in gas exploration, infrastructure
development, hydro-power generation, telecommunications, agriculture and
agro-processing, leather processing, salt and sugar processing. The Ministerâs
visit will also create an enabling environment that will lead to the conclusion
of an Agreement on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments
between the two countries.
Enquiries:
Henriette van der Merwe
Tel: 012 394 1640
Cell: 082 572 8184
E-mail: mediarelations@thedti.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Trade and Industry
7 June 2006
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