Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Friday, host his Colombian counterpart Francia Elena Márquez, for an Official Visit to South Africa.
The objective of the Official Visit, according to the Deputy President’s Office, is to strengthen political relations and define a roadmap for mutually beneficial economic as well as social relations and multilateral cooperation between the two countries.
According to the statement released on Wednesday, the diplomatic relations between South Africa and Colombia were formally established in April 1994, with Colombia opening its Embassy in Pretoria in 1995.
Since the establishment of the South African Embassy in Venezuela in 1998, the South African residential Ambassador in Venezuela is accredited as the non-residential Ambassador of South Africa to Colombia.
Meanwhile, bilateral relations between South Africa and Colombia are cordial and the shared values of democracy, peace, sustainable development and multilateralism provide a basis for the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral relations between the two countries.
“Cooperation with Colombia is also in line with South Africa’s foreign policy objective of the South-South Cooperation,” the department explained.
The Latin American country is the fifth largest economy in Latin America after Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile.
Colombia is also the sixth largest trade partner of South Africa in Latin America after Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Peru.
“There is a steady growth of Colombian investors in the food, beverages and confectionery industries and South African investments in Colombia in mining and agribusiness.”
The focus areas for discussions between the two governments will include trade, investment, and technical cooperation in agribusiness, mining and energy, environment, science and innovation, tourism, and transport.
There is also cooperation in higher education; sport, arts and culture, and exchanges on regional and multilateral issues.
Vice President Márquez will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Minister of Culture; Deputy Minister of Tourism; Senior Government Officials; Parliamentarians; Business, Chambers of Commerce, and Industry of Colombia and some of the country’s artists. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: South African Government News Agency