Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka to pay Working Visit to the Netherlands

Pretoria – South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, supported by Deputy Foreign Minister Sue van der Merwe, will on Monday 7 April 2008 depart for the Netherlands where she will hold bilateral political, economic and trade discussions with Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende on Tuesday 8 April 2008.  Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka’s working visit is scheduled for Tuesday – Wednesday 8 – 9 April 2008.

Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka’s visit to the Netherlands comes within the context of South Africa’s priority to strengthen bilateral political, economic and trade relations with the Netherlands and with a view to consolidating North-South relations.

South Africa and the Netherlands enjoy excellent political relations characterised by regular high level dialogue, diverse bilateral co-operation projects and growing bilateral trade.  In addition to sharing a history, common language and cultural heritage, the two countries also share a wide diplomatic agenda.  The Netherlands played an important role in the liberation of South Africa and continues to play an important role in supporting transformation in post-apartheid South Africa. 

In this regard, the meeting between Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka and Prime Minister Balkenende on Tuesday 8 April 2008 will seek to:

• Strengthen bilateral political and economic relations with the Netherlands Government;
• Acknowledge support for human and technical resource development, in particular ASGISA/JIPSA;
• Promote trade and investment with the Netherlands, and
• Acknowledge the contribution of the Netherlands to trilateral cooperation in support of Security Sector Reform in the Great Lakes Region.

While in the Netherlands, Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka will, among others, pay a courtesy call on His Royal Highness Crown Prince William Alexander of Orange, the Speaker of the Dutch Parliament, meet captains of industry and former members of the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

Bilateral Economic Relations

South Africa and the Netherlands have a long history of economic co-operation which has received new impetus with the democratic processes and the opening of markets in South Africa since 1994.  Today, the Netherlands is the fifth largest destination of South African exports and ranks as the fifth largest foreign investor in South Africa.  South Africa is the main trading partner of the Netherlands in Africa.

South African exports were mainly minerals, metals and agricultural products, while imports from the Netherlands included chemicals, pharmaceutical and agricultural products.

FDI figures of Netherlands investment into South Africa

2006: EUR 794m (rise EUR53m compared to 2005)
2005: EUR741m

FDI figures of South African investment into the Netherlands

2006: EUR34m (decline EUR6m compared to 2005)
2005: EUR40m

  South Africa - Netherlands Bilateral Trade Figures:

Source: DTI

Tourist numbers from the Netherlands have grown steadily in the past year. From January to December 2006, 124,689 tourists visited South Africa compared to 116,244 the previous year, an increase of 7.3%. The Netherlands is thus a major supplier of tourist from Europe to South Africa.

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

6 April 2008