Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana
Dlamini Zuma to Depart for Tunisia ahead of State Visit
by President Mbeki, Tunis, Tunisia, Friday, 8 October
2004
TUNISIA - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana
Dlamini Zuma is expected to arrive in Tunisia on Saturday
9 October ahead of the scheduled state visit of President
Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday and Wednesday 12- 13 October
2004.
Minister Dlamini Zuma is part of the official South
African government delegation that includes Ministers
Pallo Jordan, Mosiuoa Lekota, Membathisi Mdladlana,
Alec Erwin, Mandisi Mpahlwa, and Zola Skweyiya respectively.
The state visit will provide both countries with an
excellent opportunity to consolidate political, economic
and trade relations. In addition, both President Thabo
Mbeki and President Zine EL Abidine Ben Ali will also
have an opportunity during the visit to assess progress
in the implementation of existing agreements as concluded
during the four sessions of the Binational Commission
between South Africa and Tunisia.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural,
mining, energy, tourism and manufacturing sectors.
A steady increase in tourism and trade has been the
key elements in contributing to the growth of the economy.
Tunisia's association agreement with the EU entered
into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between
the EU and a Mediterranean country. This agreement calls
for more trade and fewer trade barriers and is scheduled
to be implemented gradually over the next 12 years.
BILATERAL TRADE WITH
TUNISIA
Year
IMPORTS from Tunisia
EXPORTS to Tunisia
VOLUME OF TRADE
% GROWTH / DECLINE
1994
R 6,624,472
R 1,386,028
R 8,010,500
1995
R 9,453,363
R 2,731,979
R 12,185,342
+52.12%
1996
R 14,781,076
R 3,114,937
R 17,896,013
+46.87%
1997
R 34,495,755
R 12,819,191
R 47,314,946
+164.39%
1998
R 25,273,524
R 26,008,617
R 51,282,141
+8.38%
1999
R 33,944,238
R 15,435,560
R 49,379,798
-3.71%
2000
R 65,615,805
R 26,299,457
R 91,915,262
+86.14%
2001*
R 46,848,000
R 35,624,000
R 82,472,000
-10.27%
2002*
R 30,744,000
R 35,136,000
R 65,880,000
-20.11%
2003*
R 40,992,000
R 42,456,000
R 83,448,000
+26.66%
At latest (2002/04) average ZAR/TDN Exchange Rate (1
TDN=R4.88) rounded off at R1, 000
Binational Commission between South Africa and Tunisia
Since 1993, relations between SA and Tunisia have steadily
progressed. The first Joint Bilateral Commission in
1996 provided an excellent launching pad for the formalisation
of relations between SA and Tunisia.
In 1999 the second Joint Bilateral Commission took
place in South Africa, during which time a number of
agreements were either signed or initialed. The Tunisian
delegation also included a high profile business delegation
from Sfax, the second most important commercial centre
in Tunisia.
A co-operation agreement was signed between the Chamber
of Commerce of Sfax and the
Durban Chamber of Commerce.
The visit of the latter delegation resulted in a number
of important commercial exchanges. A leading industrial
group from Tunisia - Poulina - has confirmed its intention
to invest in the South African Tourism sector. A major
South African Company - Profurn - is in the process
of acquiring equity in a Tunisian Company - Batam. Benefiting
from the geographic location of Tunisia and its excellent
infrastructure, Profurn is using Tunisia as a base for
penetrating the increasingly lucrative North African
market. Subsequently, the two companies have established
a presence in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, with plans
to eventually penetrate the Algerian and Libyan markets.
The third session of the JBC coincided with the inaugural
session of the South Africa-Tunisia Business Forum (SATBF).
The third JBC served to strengthen the ties between
South Africa and Tunisia in the fields of trade, transport,
agriculture, arts & culture, science & technology,
sport, geoscience, tourism, energy and standardisation.
The second session of the SATBF took place in Johannesburg
and Cape Town during February 2002. The Business Forum
served to intensify the existing relations between the
two countries' business communities, as well as to expose
Tunisia as an investment market and potential trading
partner to the South African business community.
The fourth session of the JBC took place on 9 July
2004 in Pretoria during which the following agreements
were signed during the 4th session:
The Agreement on the Abolition of Visa Requirements
for the Holders of Diplomatic and Official or Special
Passports;
The Programme of Co-operation in the Field of Sport;
The Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Co-operation
between the National Institute of Normalisation and
Industrial Property of Tunisia and the South African
Bureau of Standards; and
The Memorandum of Understanding between the JSE
Security Exchange and Bourse De Valueurs Mobilieres
de Tunis.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.
Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
