Minister Dlamini Zuma to host counterpart from Republic of Guinea-Bissau

Pretoria: South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Thursday 19 October 2006, host her counterpart from the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Community, Mr Antonio Isaac Monteiro for bilateral discussions at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will host her counterpart within the context of South Africa's foreign policy priority of consolidating the African development agenda through, among others, the strengthening of bilateral relations with all countries on the Continent.

Issues on the agenda of discussions between Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Antonio Monteiro are expected to include, among others:

· The status of bilateral political and economic relations between both countries including areas of further co-operation;
· The implementation of the IBSA Project on Agriculture and Livestock Development;
· An assessment on the socio-political developments in West and Southern Africa.
Minister Monteiro is expected to depart from South Africa on Friday 20 October 2006.

Bilateral Economic Relations
South Africa holds vast expertise in the area of fish processing. South African fishing companies can play a role in the development of the capacity of Guinea-Bissau to generate more income from its fish stocks.
Another sector that can be explored in the area of investment is the natural resources sector. Guinea-Bissau possesses some reserves of bauxite, phosphates and petroleum that have not been explored. This would assist in diversifying the economy away from the agricultural sector.

South African Exports to Guinea-Bissau
Export values R 1, 3 million (2003)
R 3 million (2004)
R 3, 2 million (2005)

South African Imports from Guinea-Bissau
Import values R 0,1 million (2003)
R 0,3 million (2004)
R 1 million (2005)

Trilateral Co-operation
The South African government is involved in the development of the agricultural and livestock sectors funded by the India-Brazil-South Africa Funding Facility for Hunger and Poverty Alleviation. Identified in 2004, this is a South-South cooperation project meant to assist in the upliftment of Bissau-Guinean society. The project is administered by United Nations Development Programme. The purpose of the IBSA Fund is to implement duplicable, phased projects in needy developing countries. In Guinea-Bissau, the project aims to achieve the following results:

· Reduction of the country¡¯s rice deficit
· Improvement and diversification of horticulture
· Improvement of short-cycle livestock production
· Promotion and development of small and medium scale agro-industry

The level of expertise that exists between the IBSA countries holds exceptional value for developing countries. This Fund is an attempt to share this expertise on the part of the governments of the IBSA countries. This is especially the case with the production of rice as the technology held by India would help to make rice producing countries self-sufficient in food production.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

18 October 2006