5 November 2003

Deputy President Jacob Zuma has praised the work that the joint committees of the South Africa-Germany binational commission put into the fourth session of the body to strengthen and consolidate political and economic relations between Berlin and Pretoria.

The two-day commission, co-chaired by Zuma and German Vice-Chancellor Joschka Fischer, concluded bilateral agreements this week relating to investment promotion, skills development and transfer, and black economic empowerment.

Speaking in Pretoria, Zuma said the agreements underlined the smooth and excellent relations between the two countries.

"Human resource and skills development remain a key priority for us, and we welcome the agreement to further strengthen co-operation in this regard", Zuma said. "We applaud the growing relations in the higher education sector since 2001, as indicated by the increase in formal co-operation programmes between German and South African universities from 39 to 57.

"As part of our skills development programme, we welcome the vocational training support rendered by the German government through the Centre for Advanced Training at the Service Corps of our department of defence", Zuma added.

The two country's relations have also been strengthened through South Africa's strategic defence packages; German consortia are the main contractors for the supply of the South African Navy's new corvettes and submarines.

There are 450 German-owned companies in the country that employ about 65 000 people.

Source: BuaNews

	South African trade with Europe

	Department of Foreign Affairs  Dept of Trade & Industry

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