Yuri Petrovich Trutnev
23 July 2006
South African Foreign Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Monday, 24
July 2006 co-chair with her Russian counterpart, Minister Yuri Petrovich
Trutnev, Minister of Natural Resources, the Sixth Session of the Joint
Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Co-operation (ITEC) Meeting
between South Africa and the Russian Federation at the Diplomatic Guesthouse in
Pretoria.
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will be supported amongst others by South Africa's
representative to the Russian Federation, Ambassador Langa and the Head of the
ITEC Task Team Mechanism, South African Director-General of the Minerals and
Energy Department, Advocate Sandile Nogxina and other senior government
officials.
This 6th session of ITEC is convened a week after the G8 Summit in St
Petersburg, Russia where President Thabo Mbeki led the South African Delegation
to the Outreach Session of the Summit.
Central to decisions of the G8 Summit was the call for âan achievement of
concrete and properly assessed results, taking into full account the
perspective and needs of countries assembled at the Summit". Thus, the 6th
Session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Co-operation
between South Africa and the Russian Federation takes place within this
context. South Africa's participation at the G8 Summit also came within the
context of the country's commitment to promoting North-South co-operation with
a view to advancing the developmental agenda of Africa in particular and the
South in general.
What is ITEC?
ITEC is the most important mechanism underpinning bilateral relations for
mutual political and economic interests between South Africa and the Russian
Federation. During the November 2004 consultations in Pretoria, the two
co-chairpersons agreed that a mechanism should be established that monitors and
ensures implementation of decisions between sessions of ITEC.
ITEC consists of the following Joint Sub-committees between the two
countries:
* Minerals and Energy
* Trade, Investment and Banking
* Science and Technology
* Transport - Aviation and Maritime
* Social Sector - Health and Education
* Agriculture
* Water Affairs and Forestry
It is inspiring to note synergies between the outcomes of the G8 Summit and
some of the specific areas that ITEC is seized with:
On Energy: The G5 in its document, presented to the Outreach Session, of
which South Africa is a member "expressed concern at the negative impact of
soaring energy prices on developmental efforts in recent years and expressed
its favour in the establishment of an international energy order that is fair,
equitable, secure, stable and to the benefit of the entire international
community.â
The G5 further supported an inclusive dialogue on energy capable of creating
a political environment conducive to the peaceful settlement of disputes
through consultation.
This has been the approach that both South Africa and Russia had been
articulating with regards to the situation pertaining to Iraq and Iran.
What will be the focus of the 6th session of ITEC
Both co-chairpersons will expect reports from the group of senior officials
on solid progress achieved in the various sub-committees since the last session
in Russia in November 2005.
Both Minister Dlamini Zuma and Yuri Trutnev will also hold bilateral
discussions prior to the plenary sessions which are expected amongst others to
reflect on:
* the outcomes of the G8 Summit as they impact on the consolidation of the
African agenda
* situation in the Middle East
* developments within the African Union and progress on NEPAD
* bilateral trade and investment issues
* conflict resolution and challenges facing the African continent , ie the
forthcoming Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) elections scheduled for 30 July
2006, the Burundi Peace Process, Cote d'Ivoire, etc
* developments within SADC.
Key milestones of ITEC
* There have been 5 ITEC sessions thus far.
* The Inaugural Session was held in Moscow from 28 - 30 April 1999 during
former President Nelson Mandela's state visit
* The second session was held on 18 - 21 November 2002 in Pretoria
* The third session took place in Moscow from 8 - 12 November 2003.
* The fourth session was held in South Africa from 17- 19 November 2004
* The fifth session was held in Moscow on the 3 - 5 October 2005.
At the last session, answering a call by Minister Dlamini Zuma during the
inter-sessional July 2005 meeting in Pretoria, a strong South African media
contingent visited the Russian Federation in its quest to "promote stronger
contact and co-operation between the Russian and South African peoplesâ.
Several journalists from different media houses covered the ITEC programme
including its Business Summit.
Economic bilateral relations between South Africa and the Russian
Federation
Main export commodities from Russia are fertilisers, ferrous metals,
machinery and equipment, whilst the main export commodities from South Africa
are citrus plants, fruit, coal, artificial graphite and cellulose. During the
5th ITEC Session, South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) entities held
meetings with prominent Russian entities, including Norilsk Nickel, Renova,
Lukoil etc.
The increased interaction between the respective entities could lead to more
substantial presence of Russian companies in South Africa.
South African businesses with interests in Russia include Anglo American,
Standard Bank, De Beers, Protea Hotels, Barlow World, Capespan and the Bateman
Group.
In line with South Africa's Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment
Programmes, the joint venture company United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK) and
the Russian Renova Group has been established in order to co-operate on
prospecting, mining and processing of manganese ore in the Kalahari basin.
Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
23 July 2006
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (http://www.dfa.gov.za)
