Minister Dlamini Zuma to Consolidate Bilateral Relations in
Brunei and Malaysia, 21 - 24 June 2005
Tshwane - South African Foreign Minister
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will depart from South Africa on Monday 20 June 2005
for South East Asia where she will lead a South African government delegation
on a two nation visit that will see her visit Brunei and Malaysia from Tuesday
- Friday, 21-24 June 2005.
The visit takes place within the context of
South Africa's objective to:
Increase trade interaction with South
East Asian countries
Increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into South
Africa
Leveraging tourism opportunities
Coming in the wake
of the G77 plus China Summit the visit is also part of consolidating and strengthening
south-south relations.
Brunei
Minister Dlamini Zuma will pay
an official visit to Brunei at the invitation of her counterpart, Foreign Minister
Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, from Tuesday to Wednesday, 21-22 June 2005.
This
is the first such high level visit to Brunei by a South African Foreign minister.
Minister
Dlamini Zuma will hold discussions with her counterpart, Foreign Minister Prince
Mohamed Bolkiah on Wednesday, 22 June 2005 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, during
which they will discuss the consolidation and expansion of bilateral, political
and economic relations between both countries.
While in Brunei Minister
Dlamini Zuma is also expected to pay a courtesy call on His Majesty Paduka Seri
Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah.
Minister
Dlamini Zuma will depart from Brunei on Wednesday, 22 June for Malaysia where
she is expected to co-chair the inaugural session of the South Africa - Malaysia
Joint Ministerial Committee meeting.
Bilateral South Africa - Brunei
Economic Relations: Trade Statistics: (ZA Rand '000)
Year
SA Exports
SA
Imports
Total Trade
1997
3
878
531
4 409
1998
2
769
22
771
1999
23
485
196
23 681
2000
9
929
33
9 962
2001
7
280
10
7 290
2002
4
886
N/A
4 886
2003
5
110
N/A
5 110
2004
13
333
N/A
13 333
Minister
Dlamini Zuma and her Malaysian counterpart to launch Joint Ministerial Commission
(JMC):
Malaysia is the current chair of the Non- Aligned Movement (NAM).
South
Africa, together with Cuba and Malaysia, is part of the NAM Troika of previous,
present and future chairs of the movement.
South Africa and Malaysia share
strategic historic relations, borne in the struggle against apartheid. In this
context, both Minister Dlamini Zuma and her Malaysian counterpart, Foreign Minister
Syed Hamid Jaafar Albar, will be launching the Joint Ministerial Commission which
is aimed at regulating strategic, bilateral, political and economic relations
between both countries on Friday, 24 June 2005.
The JMC will comprise the
departments of Foreign Affairs, Public Service and Administration, Communications,
Science and Technology, Trade and Industry, Transport, Education, Home Affairs,
Defence and Telkom.
While in Malaysia, Minister Dlamini Zuma will pay a
courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi; attend a reception
co-hosted by the Malaysia-South Africa Business Council (MSABC) and officiate
at the opening ceremony of the new South African High Commission Chancery premises.
Bilateral South Africa - Malaysia Economic Relations Trade Statistics
(ZA Rand '000)
Year
SA Exports
SA
Imports
Total Trade
2004
1,335,434
2,448,172
3,783,606
2003
1,856,420
3,019,636
4,876,056
2002
2,010,334
3,643,829
5,654,163
2001
1,524,001
2,448,658
3,972,659
2000
1,109,222
2,062,585
3,171,807
1999
749,993
1,781,826
2,531,819
1998
396,181
1,780,970
2,177,151
1997
1,150,030
1,305,092
1,305,092
1996
742,534
1,076,632
1,819,166
1995
661,682
892,332
1,554,014
1994
348,954
748,003
1,096,957
South
Africa is considered an important potential ally for the Malaysian Government
and business and serves as a springboard for Malaysia's economic and political
efforts in the rest of Africa as well as South America.
Issued by Ronnie
Mamoepa on 082 990 4853. Department of Foreign Affairs Private Bag X152 Pretoria 0001 19
June 2005
