Trade in spotlight at SA-EU summit
8 September 2009
South Africa and the European Union are set to strengthen relations and address shared bilateral, regional and global interests at the SA-EU Summit kicking off in Cape Town on Friday.
A top-level EU delegation will meet with South African President Jacob Zuma and his team to review the Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement (TDCA) that was set up between the EU and South Africa 10 years ago.
The EU is the world's largest trading bloc, generating about 30 percent of global GDP and 20 percent of global trade flows. It is also the world's biggest aid donor to poor countries, contributing approximately half of global aid.
Since the implementation of the TDCA, volumes of trade between the EU and South Africa have moved from about R56.5-billion in 1994 to R313-billion in 2007.
Zuma will be accompanied on Friday International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davis, and Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel.
"The discussions with the EU will focus on issues including climate change ahead of the UN conference in Copenhagen in December, the global economic crisis, and cooperation between the EU and South Africa on trade, regional development and crisis management," Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson Nomfanelo Kota told BuaNews.
She said an important part of the meeting would be the signing of an amendment to the TDCA.
"Essentially what has happened now is that there are about 35 new articles which had been negotiated to beef up the areas of cooperation with the EU."
This, Kota explained, covers areas such as customs and revenue services and communications.
Ahead of Friday's summit, on Thursday, Zuma is expected to hold talks with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. According to the department, key topics of discussion will include cooperation on climate change and the environment.
South Africa's regional role in the promotion of democracy, peace, security and respect for human rights on the African continent will also be discussed.
Source: BuaNews
