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Deputy Minsiter of Foreign Affairs,
Aziz Pahad has Arrived in Damascus, Syria, 28 August
2004
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad, accompanied
by the Director-General of Foreign Affairs, Dr Ayanda
Ntsaluba, has arrived in Damascus, Syria ahead of an
official visit.
On Sunday, 29 August 2004, Deputy Minister Pahad will
have bilateral economic and political discussions with
his counterpart, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Dr Darweesh.
Issues on the agenda include the consolidation of bilateral
political and economic relations between South Africa
and Syria, support for NEPAD as the socio-economic programme
for the African continent, the Middle East Peace Process,
and developments in Iraq following the handover of sovereignty
to the people of Iraq.
Discussions will also focus on the three major challenges
outlined by President Mbeki earlier this month at the
opening of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial
meeting in Durban:
- Poverty and under-development
- Peace and security, and terrorism
- Restructuring of the global exercise of power.
While in Syria, Deputy Minister Pahad is also expected
to pay a courtesy call on Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Farouk Al-Sharaa.
South African officials are currently in Damascus preparing
for the opening of a South African Embassy.
Opportunities for South African Business
Three different sectors - light industry, pharmaceuticals
and medical equipment, and tourism - provide added incentive
and opportunity for SA businesses.
Opportunities for South African businesses lie in the
pharmaceuticals and medical equipment sectors. Currently,
there are only 45 pharmaceutical companies in Syria,
and demand for medicine is rising. The Syrian Government
has plans to construct 21 new hospitals that would increase
total capacity by 25 percent. These plans would significantly
increase demand for pharmaceuticals as well as medical
equipment such as x-ray machines, MRI scanners, and
ICU equipment. Extensions in Syria's power grid are
on the cards as are plans for a mass public transport
project. The European Investment Bank and companies
from Sweden, the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Ireland
are already involved in bidding processes.
There is also a growing demand for light industrial
equipment in all sectors, especially in consumer goods.
The textile and food processing industries will continue
to expand.
Additionally, the following sectors have been identified
as leading trade opportunities for South African businesses:
- Oil and gas infrastructure
- Electricity generation
- Telecommunications,
- Cotton manufacturing
- Fertiliser and chemical processing
- Grain storage
- Irrigation equipment
- Computers
- Agricultural products (including corn, soybeans,
rice, cigarettes, vegetable seeds, and almonds)
Trade relations
The most recent trade figures are very encouraging,
with a nearly 75% increase in exports over the past
two years. South Africa's exports to Syria for 2002
were R 60.5 million and imports R 6.5 million. In 2000
South Africa's exports were R34 million and imports
were R3.9 million, which was an increase of 11% from
1999.
Exports to Syria include agricultural products and
petrochemical equipment. Business opportunities have
been identified in light industry, pharmaceuticals and
medical equipment, such as MRI scanners and ICU equipment.
Other sectors include oil and gas infrastructure and
beneficiation (e.g. liquefaction of gas), electricity
generation, telecommunications, arms sales, computers,
irrigation equipment and cotton processing.
The main South African exporting companies are: Murex
Biotech SA; Precision Valves SA; Delta Chemicals/Bayer
Chemicals' Makro Medical; Nestle SA; Wika Instruments;
Plaaskem; Marno International; Hygrotech; ATC; Sasol.
The major goods imported from Syria are textiles, pharmaceuticals
and chemicals for medical laboratories; technical equipment;
agricultural products (insecticides, fungicides, seeds
etc.); coffee, tractor accessories and parts; poultry
feeding equipment; chrome tanning salts/computer technology.
Syrian exports on the world market include crude oil,
medicines, processed cotton, textiles, carpets and agricultural
produce, especially olive oil (no. 5 on the world scale
for production) spices and pulses.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
28 August 2004
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