Deputy Minister Padayachee to lead South African delegation to the SA – Mozambique Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation

Pretoria – South African Deputy Minister of Communications Roy Padayachee will, today Thursday 21 August 2008 depart for Mozambique where he will lead a South African government delegation to the Fifth Session of the South Africa-Mozambique Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation (JPCC).

South Africa’s participation in the fifth session of the South Africa-Mozambique JPCC comes within the context of its commitment to consolidate bilateral political and economic relations with Mozambique as part of overall efforts to consolidate the African Agenda.

In this regard discussions during the JPCC will focus among others on:

• Trade and industry issues;
• Science and Technology;
• Energy issues;
• Environmental and tourism issues;
• Transport and Communication;
• Labour;
• Cross border cooperation;
• Security issues;
• Migration;
• Sport;
• Health, Education and development of Human Resources; and
• Institutional development

Since the establishment of the JPCC in 1994, substantial progress has been made as evidenced by the signing of 42 agreements that cover issues of trade, energy, migration, transport, tourism, science and technology, labour, arts and culture, etc.

Bilateral Economic Relations

South Africa is one of Mozambique’s important economic partners. South Africa accounts for about 40% of Mozambican imports. In 2007 total exports by South Africa to Mozambique were valued at over R8 billion. South Africa imported goods from Mozambique to the value at over R2 billion in the same period.

South Africa-Mozambique trade statistics (in ZAR)

Year                          SA Exports                                SA Imports

2003                           5, 676, 203, 000.00                     280, 806, 000.00

2004                           5, 077, 739, 000.00                     204, 845, 000.00

2005                           6, 402, 557, 000.00                     199, 282, 000.00

2006                           6, 240, 445, 000.00                     318, 590, 000.00

2007                           8, 163, 657, 000.00                   2,252, 974, 000.00

The implementation of five Spatial Development Initiatives (SDI’s), which are the Maputo Development Corridor, the Beira SDI, the Limpopo Valley SDI, the Zambezi Valley SDI as well as the Nacala Development Corridor also gave impetus to increased economic activity between the two countries. Some of these SDI’s are at an advanced stage of implementation.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
           
20 August 2008