South African (SA) President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to hold talks on Friday with his Ivorian counterpart, President Alassane Ouattara.
Ouattara will meet with Ramaphosa on Friday during his state visit to South Africa. He arrived on Wednesday.
The two leaders are expected to focus on trade relations and current international issues.
#IvoryCoastInSA His Excellency President @AOuattara_PRCI arrives at the Union Buildings in Tshwane and is received by His Excellency President @CyrilRamaphosa for his first State Visit to South Africa. This year marks 30 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries. pic.twitter.com/4ULG4nS6uF
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) July 22, 2022
VIDEO: President Alassane Ouattara on a State Visit to South Africa
South Africa is no stranger to politics involving Ivory Coast. In 2010, the South African former President Thabo Mbeki was appointed by the African Union (AU) to mediate after violence broke out when the 2009 elections were disputed.
Friday marks another step in cementing the long-standing relationship between Pretoria and Abidjan.
President Ouattara’s visit comes after President Ramaphosa visited west Africa last year. Ivory Coast is one of the countries that he visited with the aim of strengthening trade and political ties.
#IvoryCoastInSA The bilateral trade between South Africa🇿🇦 & Côte d’Ivoire🇨🇮 remains on an upward trajectory. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, total trade between the two countries increased from R1,3billion in 2019 to R2billion in 2021. #BetterAfricaBetterWorld 🌍 pic.twitter.com/NOUBmGjoCy
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) July 22, 2022
Trade, transport, sport and social development
International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor says she’s confident that Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara’s state visit to South Africa will further strengthen the positive relations between the two countries. Ouattara is leading a large delegation of cabinet ministers to sign a number of agreements in various sectors including transport, sport and social development.
Pandor says that a business forum of the two countries to be held later in the day is expected to yield opportunities for both countries.
“We are working hard to increase business activity between our two countries. We have seen an uptick in South African exports to Cote d’Ivoire and we would like to see more exports from Ivory Coast to South Africa. Cote d’Ivoire is implementing a National Development Plan. Several of our private sector companies have expressed interest in some of the infrastructure projects that are part of that NDP,” says Pandor.
Video: Minister Pandor speaks to SABC News about President Alassane Ouattara’s state visit to SA
President @AOuattara_PRCI is inspecting guard of honour. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/NhsshX0zOy
— KhayelihleKhumalo-James Jnr (@KhayaJames) July 22, 2022
#IvoryCoastInSA The bilateral trade between South Africa🇿🇦 & Côte d’Ivoire🇨🇮 remains on an upward trajectory. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, total trade between the two countries increased from R1,3billion in 2019 to R2billion in 2021. #BetterAfricaBetterWorld 🌍 pic.twitter.com/NOUBmGjoCy
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) July 22, 2022
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