President Ramaphosa to meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

He will also also attend the UK-South Africa Business Forum before being hosted at a banquet by the Mayor of London.

Ramaphosa is on a two-day state visit hosted by King Charles III.

TODAY: His Excellency President @CyrilRamaphosa is on a State Visit in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the invitation of His Majesty, King Charles III. #SAinUK 🇿🇦🇬🇧#BetterAfricaBetterWorld 🌍 pic.twitter.com/PdmYnwbgiv

— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) November 22, 2022

The President will start his morning with a walking tour of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew where he will be shown a display of plants of special interest for conservation for South Africa.

South Africa’s National Biodiversity Institute has a thirty year collaboration with the botanical gardens that boast the largest wild plant seed bank in the world.

Ramaphosa will then visit the Francis Crick Institute for a tour and briefing on the centre’s COVID-19 legacy study.

South Africa is one of over 70 countries that have formed partnerships with the Institute with a focus on tuberculosis and retroviruses.

Ramaphosa has a lunch appointment at 10 Downing Street with Sunak where matters of policy affecting the two governments will be aired including energy, skills development and education and tourism.

The President will have the opportunity to engage with both South African and British business people later in the day in an effort to find and consolidate new trade and investment opportunities.

On Tuesday, President Ramaphosa arrived at Buckingham Palace where he was escorted by his hosts King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.

He inspected various items relating to South Africa from the royal collection including pictures of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 1947 trip to South Africa and various gifts given to the royal family by Presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.

The items seen by the President formed part of the Royal Collection of articles associated with South Africa. The visit took place in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace. pic.twitter.com/LVyruFHvGA

— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) November 22, 2022

Later Ramaphosa addressed the British parliament, saying following a colonial era of conflict and dispossession, relations between the two countries are marked by a desire for shared prosperity:

The Palace Westminster houses the two Houses of Parliament #BetterAfricaBetterWorld 🌍 pic.twitter.com/NVs7MXSSSP

— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) November 22, 2022

President Ramaphosa’s full speech to UK lawmakers: