review meeting of South Africa-Iran Joint Bilateral Commission
12 January 2009
Pretoria â South African and Iranian delegations will on Tuesday, 13 January
2009 hold a meeting in Pretoria to review the implementation of decisions taken
during the Tenth Meeting of the South Africa-Iran Joint Bilateral Commission
(JBC) held in Tehran, Iran in July 2008, in which Foreign Affairs Minister Dr
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma participated.
The review meeting on Tuesday will be co-chaired by Ambassador Jerry
Matjila, the Deputy Director-General responsible for Asia and Middle East in
the Department of Foreign Affairs and Dr Behrouz Alishihri, the Deputy Minister
of Economic Affairs and Finance of Iran, who were appointed to oversee all
activities related to the JBC in their respective countries and to ensure that
the decisions taken by the JBC were implemented promptly.
In this regard the meeting will review the implementation of decisions taken
by the Political and Social Affairs Working Group and the Economic and
Technical Working Group, as well as to discuss the way forward, including the
possible establishment of technical committees.
The Political and Social Affairs Working Group deliberates upon such issues
as the Middle East, Africa, disarmament and nuclear issues, human rights,
global governance, regional co-operation, South Africaâs Accelerated and Shared
Growth Initiative (AsgiSA), education, health, environment and tourism, arts
and culture, home affairs, sport and recreation, science and technology and
womenâs affairs.
The Economic and Technical Working Group on the other hand focuses its
attention on investment co-operation, trade promotion, commerce exhibitions,
customs, oil and petrochemical, transport, agriculture, housing, free trade
zones, banking, electricity and mining.
South Africaâs participation in the meeting falls within its priority to
strengthen bilateral political, economic and trade relations with Iran within
the broad framework of South-South co-operation.
Bilateral relations
South Africa and Iran share good historical bilateral relations and the
latter supported the South African liberation movements. It severed official
relations with South Africa in 1979 and imposed a trade boycott in protest
against the countryâs Apartheid policies.
However in January 1994, Iran lifted all trade and economic sanctions
against South Africa and diplomatic relations were re-established on 10 May
1994.
Relations have expanded significantly since 1994 and the JBC offers an
opportunity for a high-level review of bilateral relations, the consideration
of ways in which these relations could be expanded further, as well as a forum
for the discussion of major international, regional and multilateral
developments. The 10th meeting of the JBC was held in Tehran in July 2008.
Economic relations
South Africa and Iran share good trade relations with South African exports
increasing by 7% from R1.4 billion in 2006 to R1.5 billion in 2007 and imports
from Iran, mostly crude oil, increasing by 13.5% from R18.3 billion in 2006 to
R20.8 billion in 2007.
Several South African companies are involved in major projects in Iran.
Sasol is participating in a US$ 900 million Iranian polymer joint venture with
the Iranian state-owned petrochemicals company, Pars Petrochemicals Company,
which produces ethylene as well as high and low density polyethylene. The joint
venture is known as the Arya Sasol Polymer Company.
MTN has a 49% stake in the Iran Cell consortium which was awarded the second
mobile telecommunications license in Iran. It started operations in October
2006. Iran was the largest supplier of crude oil to South Africa in 2007.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
12 January 2009
