International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, will host his United Kingdom counterpart, David Lammy, on Tuesday, 5 November 2024, in Cape Town.
According to the department, the meeting between the Minister and the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development will focus on strengthening relations between the two nations.
“The UK is one of South Africa’s most significant bilateral partners, particularly in trade, investment, skills development, science, innovation, the Just Energy Transition and tourism, among others,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said.
According to Lammy’s office, he began his visit to the continent in Nigeria, his first trip to Africa as Foreign Secretary and the first to visit South Africa since 2013.
Committing to a fresh approach to Africa that works productively from Morocco to Madagascar, Lammy announced the start of a five-month consultation process to ensure African voices inform and sit at the very heart of the United Kingdom’s new approach to the continent.
“Accommodating the diverse needs and ambitions of 54 countries, the consultation will guarantee the UK’s relationships across Africa are based on mutual respect and partnership,” Lammy's Office said.
Lammy believes Africa has huge growth potential, with the continent on track to make up 25% of the world’s population by 2050.
“Our new approach will deliver respectful partnerships that listen rather than tell, deliver long-term growth rather than short-term solutions and build a freer, safer, more prosperous continent. I want to hear what our African partners need and foster relationships so that the UK and our friends and partners in Africa can grow together,“ he said.
According to Lammy, growth is the core mission of the UK government and will underpin relationships in Nigeria, South Africa and beyond.
“This will mean more jobs, more prosperity and more opportunities for Brits and Africans alike.”
In South Africa, Lammy’s Office said he will agree to develop a new United Kingdom-South Africa Growth Plan.
“South Africa is our largest trading partner on the continent and this plan will allow trade to flourish even more through collaboration on market access, a new UK Trade Partnership programme to boost South Africa exports, and a new programme to increase the number of agricultural jobs in rural South Africa. This will simultaneously boost trade for Brits whilst bolstering opportunities within South Africa.”
At the biennial United Kingdom-South Africa bilateral forum, the Foreign Secretary and Lamola will refresh the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to 2030 – raising joint ambition on climate, nature, trade and security, and committing to United Kingdom-South Africa cooperation for the next two years on trade and investment, energy transition, and security.
South African exports to the United Kingdom supported over 137 000 jobs in 2020. The Foreign Secretary will boost this with the renewal of a risk-sharing partnership between British International Investment and Standard Chartered to provide trade finance for SMEs and corporates operating across Africa and Asia.
“No growth can be truly inclusive or effective unless it is green,” the statement from Lammy's office read.
While in South Africa, Lammy will celebrate climate innovation at the Earthshot+ thought leadership conference. – SAnews.gov.za
