Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to Co-Chair the 10th SA-EU Ministerial Political Dialogue Meeting, Brussels- 11 May 2010.

Pretoria – Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will co-chair the 10th South Africa-European Union Ministerial Political Dialogue meeting with her EU counterpart, Baroness Catherine Ashton, scheduled for Tuesday, 11 May 2010, in Brussels, Belgium. Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will be supported by [the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica], [Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies], [Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan], and [Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu].

The EU delegation for the Ministerial Troika will be led by the EU’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, and will include Mr Andris Piebalgs, Commissioner for Development.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane co-chairs the 10th SA-EU Ministerial Political Dialogue meeting within the context of the on-going political dialogue (the Mogôbagôba Dialogue) under the auspices of the SA-EU Strategic Partnership and the SA-EU Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA). The primary objectives of these joint discussions is to further deepen SA-EU relations and to address issues of mutual interest and concern, including many of the key national priorities as set out by President Zuma, namely health, education, rural development, job creation, and combating crime.

Through the 10th SA-EU Ministerial Political Dialogue meeting South Africa seeks to build on the outcomes of the 2nd SA-EU Summit held in South Africa on 11 September 2009 and the positive progress that has been made since the SA-EU strategic partnership was launched in May 2007. Accordingly, the Ministerial Troika will make an assessment of the progress on the implementation of the SA-EU Strategic partnership. Other issues on the agenda of discussions are expected to include:

• Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations
• The European Investment Bank
• Climate Change
• The global economic crisis
• African and global peace and security issues
• Political/institutional developments in South Africa and the EU

For more information contact Chief Director for Public Diplomacy, Mr Saul Molobi, on 082 940 1647 or email him at molobisk@dirco.gov.za.

Issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Private Bag X152
Pretoria, 0001

6 May 2010


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Notes for editors

SA-EU Economic Relations.

• The EU is the world’s largest trading bloc and generates about 30% of global GDP and 20% of global trade flows.  It is the world’s biggest aid donor to poor countries, contributing approximately half of global aid.

• Implementation of the SA-EU Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement’s (TDCA) trade provisions has been under way since 2000 with the aim of establishing a Free Trade Area (FTA) between South Africa and the EU by 2012. Total trade has increased over seven-fold between 1994 and 2008, from R56.5bn to R410bn.

• In 2008 South Africa’s exports to the EU-27 totalled R189bn, making the EU South Africa’s top destination for exports.  Likewise, imports amounted to R221bn, with the overall trade deficit being R32bn

• Europe remains the principal source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in South Africa. As at 31 December 2007, the total value of the top 12 EU Member States’ investments was R985 billion: direct investment amounted to R627 billion and portfolio investment to R358 billion.

• The European Union Member States are a significant source of tourism for South Africa, with more than 1,33 million visitors in 2008. 

• The EU is South Africa’s largest development partner representing approximately 70% of all Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), with South Africa earmarked to receive € 980 million for 2007-2013. The European Investment Bank has also approved a loan mandate of € 900 million for South Africa.

SA TRADE WITH EU-27 (R’ BILLIONS)

Source: The DTI