Africa visit Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan in South Africa: Strengthen economic cooperation and strategic partnership
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Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan with South African Health Minister Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi at their meeting in South Africa
Alabali Radovan said, “South Africa is a key partner for Germany in a world with shifting geopolitical tectonics. Germany and South Africa are linked by shared democratic values and close economic and political cooperation. I want to further strengthen these ties. On our neighbouring continent, South Africa is Germany's most important economic partner. Our cooperation creates prosperity, growth and development for both our countries – a win-win situation. Germany is an export and economic nation and depends on reliable partnerships around the globe. Germany’s development cooperation activities serve as a door opener and help pave the way. I will use the fundamental transformation of development policy and engage in a dialogue with the private sector to strengthen international economic cooperation.”
Alabali Radovan will use her visit to learn about the business activities of German companies that are operating successfully in South Africa; more than 600 German companies with more than 100,000 employees are present in the country. Her visit will take her, for example, to the facilities of a South African company that produces hydrogen fuel cells using technology from German suppliers. These cells are important for the automotive industry and the production of alternative fuel vehicles. In addition, she will be discussing opportunities for strengthening the economic relations between the two countries with German and South African entrepreneurs.
The German Development Ministry (BMZ) supports economic development and the energy transition in South Africa by promoting, for instance, the training of skilled workers in sectors that are vital for the future, such as the field of renewable energies. One example is a programme for unemployed youth from townships which the BMZ is supporting together with the EU and Switzerland. It offers the young people training in solar photovoltaics installation to give them access to the labour market.
In addition, Alabali Radovan will have political meetings with the South African government. The meeting with the Minister of Health, Dr Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi, will focus on the objective of developing and/or expanding African vaccine production at a large scale. German development cooperation measures are supporting South Africa in its efforts to develop and produce important drugs and vaccines for Africa so as to make the continent less dependent on imports. This will make the entire world more resilient against future pandemics.
The meeting between Alabali Radovan and the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, will centre on South Africa’s ambitious energy transition which the BMZ and other international partners are supporting (Just Energy Transition Partnership, JETP).
Meeting of G20 development ministers
In addition to the bilateral visit, Alabali Radovan will be attending the G20 Development Ministers meeting in Skukuza from 24 to 25 July. Under the theme Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability, South Africa is pursuing a Presidency that is very strongly marked by development policy. This is making the decisions taken by the G20 Development Ministers all the more relevant, which will deal with issues such as fighting illegal financial flows.
Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan said, “as the world is in transition, it becomes even more important to maintain the dialogue with international partners, even when there are different viewpoints. The G20 is the key format for the strongest economies to work together to advance the fight against poverty, extreme inequality and climate change. South Africa is the first African country to hold the G20 Presidency. Against the backdrop of South Africa’s economic and political weight, this was long overdue.”