Minister Dlamini Zuma to Co-Chair Inaugural SA-Guinea Conakry Joint Commission

Pretoria - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will co-chair, the inaugural session of the South Africa - Guinea Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC) at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria together with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Guinea, Foreign Minister Mamady Conde, scheduled from Thursday - Friday 23-24 November 2006.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will co-chair this inaugural JCC within the context of South Africa¡¯s commitment to strengthen and consolidate political, economic, trade and cultural links with all African countries.

The South Africa - Guinea JCC is expected to discuss and evaluate:

• The status of bilateral political and economic relations between both countries;
• Opportunities for co-operation with in the communications, transport, education, minerals and energy and trade and industry sectors; and

Other opportunities for the consolidation of bilateral political and economic relations between both countries.

Minister Conde is expected to depart from South Africa on Saturday 25 November 2006.

Economic Bilateral Relations

Significant opportunity exists for South Africa to promote co-operation with Guinea in the agricultural and mining sectors. There is a heavy concentration of mining activity in the Guinea. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer internationally.

Other forms of co-operation that may be explored would focus on science and technology with the aim of assisting Guinea to improve its agricultural and mining methods. At least 80% of Guinea's labour work force are engaged in agriculture, mostly subsistence.

Agriculture contributes around 25% to Guinea's GDP. In terms of NEPAD objectives for the promotion of development, South Africa could assist Guinea through sharing its technological and agricultural expertise and the overall need to upgrade the basic techniques employed by Guinea's agricultural and mining industries.

South Africa is internationally regarded as having, a sophisticated infrastructure and communications sector. This is another possible area of co-operation i.e. assisting Guinea in improving its transport infrastructure and networks as well as its communication systems. There could be a potential for tourism in Guinea.

Other than bauxite, Guinea has some reserves of iron ore, diamonds, gold and uranium.

South Africa's trade with Guinea, is mainly dominated by South African mining companies operating in the country, such as Randgold, De Beers and Billiton. Guinea imports brick and roof tile manufacturing machines from South Africa. Anglo-Gold Ashanti, a South African joint venture company with Ashanti from the Republic of Ghana, which is also the world's largest gold miner is also involved in mining activities in the country.

South African exports to Guinea

Export Values (R million)

2003 : R333 million
2004 : R282 million
2005 : R236 million

South African imports from Guinea Import Values (R million)

2003 : R5 million
2004 : R10 million
2005 : R11 million

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

21 November 2006