South Africa and India have embarked on a strengthening of economic and political ties via the Fifth South Africa-India Joint Ministerial Commission, taking place over the past three days with the visit to South Africa by India’s Minister of External Affairs, Shri Yaswant Sinha.
Addressing the Commission on Friday, South African Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said that as a result of the visit, the two countries had created an India-Africa Fund worth $200-million, to be made available to the Secretariat of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) in the form of loans to enhance economic interaction. At the same time, she revealed, South African President Thabo Mbeki had agreed to undertake a state Visit to India in October.
India was also engaged in discussions with the members of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) on the subject of a Preferential Trade Agreement, which Dlamini-Zuma said she was ”confident would come to fruition”. Economic relations between South Africa and India had expanded rapidly, she said, and would be furthered through the institutionalisation of the SADC-India Dialogue Forum.
”…..we welcome India’s commitment to Nepad and the aspirations of the African Renaissance, as demonstrated through the Focus Africa programme of India’s Ministry of Commerce,” Dlamini-Zuma said.
”The expressed desire by our countries to engage in a Strategic Partnership is embodied in the vision of the Red Fort Declaration. During the past 10 years, we have witnessed considerable advances between our countries in political, economic, defence, cultural and sporting relations.
”We must continue to do more to further consolidate and expand our Strategic Partnership, through regular exchanges and engagements, in an atmosphere of trust, goodwill and mutuality of interest and ideals.”
South Africa and Cuba also signed a cooperation agreement in Pretoria on Friday for the mining and energy sectors, the Department of Minerals and Energy said.
Minerals and Energy Deputy Minister Susan Shabangu and Cuba’s Minister of Economic Cooperation and Investment, Martha Lomas, signed the deal to boost collaboration between the countries in electricity, hydro-carbons, mining and human resources development.
The agreement envisages cooperation through an exchange of information in various fields, the department said in a statement.
These included information on mining technologies and government programmes, as well as policies and strategies on energy.
Lomas’ visit was part of a five-nation southern African working visit.
South Africa was eager to enhance economic and social development cooperation with Cuba, the statement said. – I-Net Bridge, Sapa