President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded a Working Visit to the Federal Republic of Germany where he advanced South Africa’s and Africa’s continued attractiveness as an investment destination and championed the continent’s call for the protection of lives and livelihoods through COVID-19 vaccination.
The President undertook the visit on 26 and 27 August COVID-19 at the invitation of Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. President Ramaphosa was accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Dr Naledi Pandor.
The core purpose of the visit was a G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) meeting in Berlin.
The CwA was initiated under the G20 German Presidency in 2017 and aims to promote private investment into the African continent. Currently, 12 African countries have joined the initiative, while South Africa – a G20 member and co-chair with Germany of the G20 Africa Advisory Group – and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as Chair of the African Union, also attended.
The Compact meeting included a G20 Investment Summit, as well as a separate meeting of Heads of State and Heads of Government, where discussions were held on ways in which to improve the business environment and to increase investment in Africa.
Leaders discussed vaccine production in Africa, which is key to enabling African economies to build back stronger, faster and more inclusively, ensuring that post-pandemic economies will become more resilient and equitable.
President Ramaphosa had bilateral discussions with Chancellor Merkel The President’s meeting with Chancellor Merkel was their last since Dr Merkel will end her 16-year tenure as Chancellor when Germans go to the polls on 26 September 2021.
The Chancellor has been a proponent of closer relations between Europe and Africa and has encouraged German businesses to invest in the continent. She visited South Africa in February 2020 and the President remarked that this visit, during which a Joint Initiative on Skills Development was signed, made a significant contribution to the development of relations between the two country.
The President acknowledged Germany’s position as a strategic partner of South Africa’s and a major trading partner, investor, source of tourism and development partner. Germany has also assisted South Africa in its fight against COVID-19 and is supporting efforts to enhance vaccine manufacturing on the African continent.
President Ramaphosa held a roundtable discussion with the leadership of several German enterprises who have a presence in South Africa, and have expressed an interest in expanding their operations in the country.
The President commended German companies for their continued involvement in South Africa. There are around 600 German companies in South Africa, employing more than 100 000 South Africans.
President Ramaphosa also had an interaction with European Union President Ursula von der Leyen on matters including climate change and the global transition to clean energy, as well the cooperation required to scale up COVID-19 vaccination beyond the unacceptable level of 2,5 percent of Africa’s population of 1,3 billion.
The President met with President Nana Akufo Addo of Ghana on how to maximise the opportunities presented to African economies by the African Continental Free Trade. The leaders also deliberated on bilateral relations including trade and the movement of people between the two countries.
Source: Government of South Africa