International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, will on Friday, 22 January 2010 host the United Arab Emirates Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and his delegation during his visit to Pretoria.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane will meet Minister Al-Nahyan within the context of strengthening bilateral political, economic and trade relations between South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the two ministers will be meeting for the second time in South Africa.
Bilateral relations
South Africa enjoys positive bilateral relations with the United Arab Emirates and formal diplomatic relations were concluded during the visit by the Foreign Minister Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed al-Nahyan to South Africa in 1994. A South African embassy was opened in Abu Dhabi on 17 January 1995. The United Arab Emirates was the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country to recognise the new democratically elected government by establishing its embassy in Pretoria in 1995.
Relationship between the two countries is mutually beneficial as more than one hundred South African companies with representative offices in the United Arab Emirates make a valuable contribution to the development of the United Arab Emirates’ economy. In the construction industry, South African companies have been involved in some of the United Arab Emirates’ major projects.
Engagements between Ministers Nkoana-Mashabane and Al-Nahyan are likely to include, among others:
* the status of bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries
* developments in Africa and South Africa
* developments in the Middle East
* support for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by South Africa
* review of bilateral and political relations
Economic relations
South Africa and the United Arab Emirates maintain a very strong economic relationship. The United Arab Emirates is the 24th largest market for South African products. It is one of the major investors in South Africa, the largest investment being Dubai’s world acquisition of the V and A Waterfront in Cape Town. There are some 210 South African companies with representative offices in the United Arab Emirates and many have been involved in major projects in several of the emirates.
The United Arab Emirates and South Africa have enjoyed a close commercial relationship since 1994. Overall trade between the two countries has been growing each year. The United Arab Emirates is one of South Africa’s lucrative markets in the gulf and current statistics show that trade between South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, especially exports from South Africa, is gaining momentum. Apart from gold, South Africa is also a major exporter of steel to the emirates and South African construction, consultancy and service sectors are also playing a big role in the rapid development of the United Arab Emirates.
In 2002 South Africa’s exports to United Arab Emirates was R1,763,628 billion and imports from the United Arab Emirates being R2,474,107 billion with a trade balance of R1,053,149 billion. Recently, from January to October 2009, South Africa had exports to United Arab Emirates amounted to R4,485,579 billion and products imported to South Africa were calculated to the value of R3,814,459 billion with a total trade of R8,300,138 billion and a trade balance of R671,120 million.
Major South African exports to the United Arab Emirates comprise base metals and allied products, steel for construction and general engineering, machinery, electronics equipment, minerals, defence equipment, chemicals, plastic goods and foodstuff. In the reverse direction, the United Arab Emirates exports to South Africa are oil-related products, machinery, transportation equipment, consumer electronics, home appliances, ball bearings, computer accessories and textiles.
Media programme for the visit of United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Al-Nahyan
Friday, 22 January 2010
14h30: Arrival of media ahead of meeting between Ministers Nkoana-Mashabane and Minister Al-Nahyan
Venue: Minister’s boardroom, OR Tambo Building, 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Pretoria
15h00: Arrival of Minister Al-Nahyan and conducted to the minister’s boardroom
Photo opportunity
15h05: Meeting between Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and Minister Al-Nahyan
17h00: Media to arrive for photo opportunity ahead of courtesy call on President Jacob Zuma
Venue: TBC
17h30: Joint South Africa and United Arab Emirates press conference
Venue: Minister’s boardroom, OR Tambo Building, 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Pretoria
Contact person:
Nthabiseng Ramatshela
Cell: 082 675 0893
For more information contact the Chief Director for Public Diplomacy:
Saul Kgomotso Molobi
Cell: 082 940 1647
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
21 January 2010
