President Zuma to receive President Kikwete of Tanzania on a state visit to South Africa

South African President, His Excellency Jacob Zuma will host His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, who is undertaking a two day State Visit to South Africa. The visit, which is scheduled to take place from 18-20 July 2011, will include programmes in Pretoria and Cape Town respectively.

President Zuma hosts his counterpart within the context of consolidating the African Agenda, with the aim of strengthening and deepening the existing relations between the two countries that dates back to the liberation struggle period.Accordingly, the two Presidents will discuss and seek to tighten cooperation in key priority areas such as trade, energy,  agriculture, transport,  science and technology, water, and mining. In this regard, it is expected that several Bilateral Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding will be signed during the visit. It is expected that His Excellency President Kikwete will lay a wreath at the Freedom Park.

President Zuma and his counterpart will use the occasion of their meetings to exchange views in respect of mutual cooperation at a regional level, especially within SADC as well as discuss broad issues affecting the Continent within the context of the African Union. Furthermore, the two Presidents will also discuss enhanced cooperation in dealing with multilateral issues such as reform of  Institutions of Global Governance, such as the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods Institutions.

It is important to note that there is strong trade cooperation between the two countries. South Africa is the third largest exporter to Tanzania with a market share of 9.63 percent. Trade balance between the two countries shows South Africa’s exports to a slight slackening from R3.5 billion in 2009 to R3.1 billion in 2010.. On the other hand, the picture shows imports from Tanzania growing by almost 100 percent from R236 million in 2009 to R464 million in 2010.

South African exports to Tanzania consists predominantly of manufactured goods i.e. machinery, mechanical appliances, paper, rubber products, vehicles, iron, steel, services and technology. On the other hand, imports from Tanzania are mainly gold, coffee, cashew nuts and cotton.

His Excellency President Kikwete will be accompanied by several Ministers and a business delegation that would participate in a South Africa-Tanzania Business Forum, which seeks to further explore investment and trade opportunities between the two sister countries.
President Zuma will be supported by the Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation; Agriculture; Forestry and Fisheries; Arts and Culture; Transport; Science and Technology; Energy; Finance; Mineral Resources; Water and Environmental Affairs; as well as Trade and Industry.

For further information please contact Mr. Clayson Monyela spokesperson for DIRCO on 082 884 5974

Issued by the Department Of International Relations and Cooperation

 OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Pretoria
15 JULY 2011