Gauteng Premier David Makhura is on a week-long official visit to Italy at the invitation of the President of the regional government of Umbria, Catiuscia Marini.
The purpose of the visit, from September 6 to September 11, is to strengthen relations between South Africa and Italy, and specifically to explore areas of co-operation between the Gauteng City Region and the Umbria Region.
Premier Makhura hosted an Umbria mission to South Africa last year November during which several contracts on food, biomedical and machinery industries were signed by South African and Italian businesses.
Premier Makhura and the President of Umbria will sign a memorandum of understanding on, among others, forging partnerships with emerging suppliers in Gauteng townships, agro-processing, infrastructure development and cultural exchange programmes.
The Gauteng Provincial Government’s delegation will also meet Italy’s Infrastructure and Transport Minister Graziano Delrio in Rome. Makhura will address the Reggio Emelia’s business association and civic groups on the promotion of mutual trade and investment opportunities. The official visit will end after a visit to the Expo Milano 2015 in the Lombardy region to study Italy’s competitive strength and access to global markets.
For media enquiries contact:
Thabo Masebe
Cell: 082 410 8087
E-mail: Thabo.masebe@gauteng.gov.za
