South Africa and Russia will cooperate in the fields of exploration of outer space and trade and economic matters, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said in Pretoria on Wednesday.
Dlamini-Zuma is hosting Russian Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Petrovich Trutnev for the sixth session of the South Africa-Russia Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Operations.
”This year we hope to take the exploration of outer space forward — we might even see the launch of a micro-satellite, which will be one of our highlights for our sector,” she said.
Dlamini-Zuma said although progress had been made, a lot of push is needed for trade-related issues.
Later in the year a business delegation will visit Moscow to consolidate the promotion of trade and economic development between the two countries, she said.
Through his translator, Minister Trutnev said he hoped that the challenges of signing the agreement will be discussed and fulfilled.
Other cooperation agreements signed were in the sphere of nuclear energy and on cooperation on trade chambers.
The Russia-South Africa Business Council has been established and more work on legislation is expected from it, Trutnev said.
The session continues on Thursday. — Sapa