Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on Wednesday, 20 October 2010, arrived in Damascus, capital city of the Syrian Arab Republic on a working visit to strengthen relation between South Africa and Syria.
Deputy President Motlanthe leads a delegation that includes Minister in the Presidency responsible for Monitoring and Evaluation, Collins Chabane, Minister of Energy Dipuo Peters, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ebrahim, government officials and business representatives.
South Africa and Syria have been in discussion over the past few years to create an enabling environment for increased trade and investment between the two states. South Africa will explore cooperation with Syria in the fields of energy, information and communication technology, science and technology, construction, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, construction and education.
An agreement on economic and trade cooperation will be signed by Minister Collins Chabane and his Syrian counterpart during the visit. The agreement will form the basic legal framework for strengthening economic relations and developing economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
Relations will be strengthened through, among others, the transfer of technology and know-how, establishment of joint ventures, joint implementation of projects and participation in exhibitions.
Deputy President Motlanthe will return home on Saturday, 23 October 2010. Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Jeff Radebe will be Acting President from 20 October 2010 until President Jacob Zuma returns to the country from a state visit to Egypt.
Enquiries:
Thabo Masebe
Cell: 082 410 8087
Source: The Presidency
