French President Nicholas Sarkozy will be accompanied by 40 key French business chief executives during his visit to South Africa, director general in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Gert Grobler, said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Union Buildings two days ahead of Sarkozy’s arrival for a state visit, Grobler said government officials were looking forward to the visit, and described the cooperation between the two countries as ”excellent”.
Grobler said SA officials were working frantically with their French counterparts to see if several agreements between the two countries could be finalised in time for them to be signed during Sarkozy’s visit.
Sarkozy will arrive in Cape Town on Thursday where he will meet President Thabo Mbeki to discuss political, economic and business ties.
The two presidents will oversee the signing of several agreements between their two countries before Sarkozy addresses a joint sitting of Parliament in the afternoon.
The proposed agreements included cooperation on energy affairs, science, transport, tourism and fishing.
A memorandum of understanding on SA’s Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa) programme was also being finalised — as well as an agreement on the Kyoto Protocol, he said.
On Friday, the two leaders are expected to head a meeting in Cape Town of the SA-France Business Forum, which would see chief executives from France meeting with their South African counterparts.
France is South Africa’s eighth largest trading partner, with bilateral trade between the two countries amounting to R26-billion in 2006/2007.
Sarkozy was expected to fly to Johannesburg later on Friday where he would meet with former president Nelson Mandela, Grobler said.
South African officials said Sarkozy would stay on in the country for a private visit, but would not divulge any details.
Grobler said Sarkozy would be accompanied by his new wife, songwriter, singer and supermodel Carla Bruni. – Sapa