Your Excellency Prime Minister of Poland, Mr Donald Tusk,
Honourable Ministers from South Africa and Poland,
Business Leaders,
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentleman.
I once again wish to welcome you and the Polish Business delegation to our country. The central role of our governments is to create propitious conditions business people to do business.
Gathered here this afternoon are some of South Africa and Poland's best business men and women. Today's discussions have laid a solid foundation for the enhancement of the economic, commercial and social relations. We have also covered reasonable distance in reviving our relations and exploring new avenues for co-operation.
Programme Director,
During our discussions this morning we identified some critical areas for co-operation. We have signed an agreement to create a Joint Economic Commission (JEC) which will develop a framework for the further acceleration of our economic, commercial and technical co-operations.
We hope that this will provide Polish and South African entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders with enabling conditions to improve trade between our countries. There are still significant trade and investment opportunities which South African and Polish businesses can exploit.
While trade between South Africa and Poland has grown steadily over the last 6 years, the current trade volumes do not reflect the true potential and goodwill that exists between the two countries. As South Africa we believe maritime is one of the sectors that present countless opportunities for greater economic co-operation.
There are opportunities for joint investment, technical co-operation and institutional partnerships especially in shipping, ports and logistics, marine manufacturing and ship repairs. Other opportunities for increased trade and investment exist in industries such as build infrastructure, mining, machinery building; in metallurgy, science and technology and food processing.
We are pleased that some South African companies already have investments in Poland with foreign direct investment in the brewing, paper, furniture, retail and distribution sectors. As governments we are re-energised and ready to work together to support business, shared-growth and removing any policy or regulatory constrains that might discourage a healthy business environment.
To this end, we therefore hope you will seize the opportunity to share with us some of the problems you have encountered and what needs to be done to open more business opportunities.
Your Excellency,
South Africa is conscious, always that we are a player in a globalised world of open economies where money, movement of labour and goods are fluid. As such we are acutely aware that South Africa cannot prosper alone without the development of the rest of the African continent and the countries of the globalised south.
It is predicted that sub-Saharan Africa is set to grow by an average of 5% in the immediate future showing Africa's potential as a global growth point in the aftermath of the economic downturn. In this regard I am pleased that Poland recognises this potential and has adopted a 2013 "Go Africa” strategy.
The national investment promotion agencies of South Africa and Poland, namely Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA) and the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (Palilz) respectively have signed a memorandum of understanding which would serve to promote trade and investment between the two countries.
A further agreement between the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa and the Industrial Development Agency of Poland has been signed. I would like to urge Polish and South African companies to identify and pursue opportunities stemming from the good relations between our two countries.
I thank you for your attention and wish you fruitful deliberations and business exchanges.
I thank you!
