South Africa is looking to Russia to acquire nuclear and space technology, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Monday.
Earlier she held talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
”We are looking at joint ventures to facilitate technology acquisitions from South Africa from Russian companies,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
Fradkov and Mlambo-Ngcuka are to oversee the establishing of a joint South Africa-Russia business council, which Fradkov hopes would lead to better co-operation between the business people of the two countries.
”We hope this would lead to increased interaction and bring it [trade] to a new level,” he said.
Mlambo-Ngcuka said the trade between the two countries could be ”much better”, naming vehicle and chemical exports as areas that could improve drastically.
Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said several agreements on minerals and energy are being finalised and would be signed in Russia later in the year. – Sapa