North West inks Chinese deal
Thu, 10 Apr 2008
More foreign investment is needed if provincial governments are to address poverty and unemployment in SA, North West Premier Edna Molewa said on Wednesday.Foreign investment was needed to help achieve economic growth, she said.
She was speaking at the signing of a co-operation agreement with the Chinese province of Henan in various key sectors.
The agreements signed were in tourism, agriculture, education, investment, arts and culture, science, technology and trade.
The premier said the two provinces needed to work together to improve the lives of their people.
"Working in partnerships, we can help to unleash the full economic potential of our provinces and their resources," she said.
Molewa said the North West stood to benefit from the relationship as Henan had a highly developed agricultural and industrial sector.
"The province has expressed great interest in co-operating with the North West in both cattle breeding and production of quality cattle products," Molewa said.
She said Henan province's agriculture sector was successful because of its advanced technology.
"We need to learn and benefit from their technology. Henan will look at the possibility of assisting the North West with irrigation technology," she said.
Molewa said the North West had mineral wealth, strong agriculture and tourism sectors — as well as potential for a strong manufacturing sector.
She said the two provinces would set up exchange programmes in business, education and culture, where business people would share and develop partnerships.
She said the North West would work at strengthening the relationship between the two provinces.
"I am confident that this agreement will enable the two provinces to use each other's strengths towards the common objective of promoting economic prosperity," Molewa said.
Sapa
