Anxious to continue this high-level political dialogue between the two countries, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Laurent Fabius, received his South African counterpart, Ms. Maïte Nkoana-Mashabane on May 29, 2012. Two talks between President Hollande and President Zuma also took place on June 19 on the sidelines of the G20 summit, then on September 25 as part of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

South Africa is also interested in French expertise in specialized police activities (technical and scientific police, cybercrime, identification of victims, investigations into clandestine laboratories, etc.) which it called upon during the Cup. of the World of Football 2010. Three bilateral military agreements were concluded in May 1998, then May and July 2001 which relate to cooperation in matters of defense, rescue at sea and exchange of information. The 9th annual joint defense commission took place in April 2012. A strategic defense dialogue also brings together senior French and South African military representatives.

France is South Africa's 16th customer and its 9th supplier. French products in 2011 constituted 3.2% of total South African imports and reached, the same year, 71 billion euros, an increase of 23.5% in one year. French sales to South Africa are mainly in the form of transport equipment (32% of the total), capital goods (25%) and products from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry (13.5 %). Consumer goods, automobiles, agricultural products and agri-food follow. Aeronautics figured prominently in French exports in 2011 thanks to the delivery of 6 Airbus A330-200s to South African Airways.
South African exports to France fell 8.8% in 2011 to € 954 million. South Africa, France's 34th customer, exports to France coal (172 million euros in 2011), electronic components, steel products, intermediate goods, capital goods and agrifood.
More than 200 French companies are based in South Africa where they employ nearly 30,000 people. The latest statistics place France 9th among foreign investors, far behind the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and China. Outstanding French investments amounted to around 1.6 billion euros. Two-thirds of French investments are concentrated in industrial fields, even if services (financial services, hotels, technical control, etc.) are experiencing significant development.

Finally, the French Development Agencyis one of the main donors of official development assistance in South Africa. AFD's annual commitment authorizations in South Africa have increased steadily since 1994, which has sharply increased over the past five years to reach € 422 million in 2010. Thus, between 1994 and 2010 , AFD's cumulative commitment authorizations in the country amount to 1.7 billion euros, of which more than 1.3 billion were authorized between 2006 and 2010, making AFD the second largest donor. in South Africa. AFD is working in South Africa with the priority objective of supporting growth and supporting public policies in favor of the social and economic catching up of previously disadvantaged populations.

On the model of the Political Dialogue Forum, the French and South African Treasury Departments agreed in 2010 on a high-level dialogue on global economic issues (Economic Dialogue Forum). Two sessions were held in Paris in March 2011, and in Pretoria in November 2012.

The ties forged between France and South Africa in cultural matters are close. A bilateral agreement between the Ministries of Culture of the two countries on training, exchanges of experts, artists and information was renewed in 2010. A film co-production agreement was signed in 2010.

The organization of the “Saisons Croisés” France / South Africa in 2012 and 2013, approved during President Zuma's visit to France, illustrates this cultural rapprochement between France and South Africa in various fields (painting, music , theater, street arts, education, sport, innovation, economic exchanges, etc.). France's season in South Africa ended in November 2012, while South Africa's season in France will take over in May 2013.
In the field of science and technology, there are several partnerships with major French research establishments. About thirty French researchers are based in South Africa and there are joint research and technological innovation programs of excellence, funded equally.