Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to host the Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erdoğan

Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Kgalema Motlanthe will host the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who will be in South Africa on an Official Visit from 4-5 October 2011. The visit follows Deputy President Motlanthe’s Official Visit to Turkey in May 2010 as well as the recent Official Visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Dr. Ahmet Davutoğlu, to South Africa on 20 August 2011.

During the official meeting the two leaders will follow-up on decisions made during the Deputy President’s visit to Turkey last year as well as decisions taken during the recent bilateral meeting between Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and her Turkish counterpart, Dr Davutoğlu.

The two leaders will also review the state of bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries, including the status and implementation of Agreements and programmes of cooperation. Both leaders will sign a Joint Declaration and observe the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Diplomatic Academies of the two Ministries by the Heads of both Ministries.

Furthermore, the two leaders will review progress on Africa-Turkey Cooperation, exchange notes on developments in North Africa and the Middle East, and discuss Multilateral Issues of common interests such as UN Reform and UNSC issues, G20 and Climate Change (COP 17).

South Africa and Turkey enjoy good relations as evidenced by regular high level engagements and structured meetings geared at consolidation and deepening bilateral relations.

The Turkish economy is the 16th largest in the world and is South Africa’s largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. South Africa’s most important export to Turkey is gold, bituminous hard coal, catalytic converters, and fresh fruits. Turkey’s most important export products to South Africa are automotives equipment, machinery, sanitary ware, rubber outer tyres for motor vehicle and trade balance is in South Africa’s favour.

Prime Minister Erdoğan is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President JG Zuma,   address a South Africa-Turkey Business Forum and deliver a lecture on Turkey’s Foreign Policy at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) OR Tambo Building.

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
www.dirco.gov.za

3 October 2011