Pretoria - South Africa and the Kingdom of Belgium are set to strengthen bilateral relations when International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane hosts Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reform Steven Vanackere.
Nkoana-Mashabane and Vanackere will continue the deliberations that they had during their meeting on the fringes of the Official Visit of President Jacob Zuma in Belgium in September this year.
Vanackere will be in the country until 4 November 2010.
The visit takes place within the context of strengthening relations with strategic formations of the North with the objective of deepening and broadening the current bilateral relations between South Africa and the Kingdom of Belgium.
The objectives of the visit will include the consolidation and enhancement of political relations (bilateral and multilateral); the strengthening of economic and commercial relations; to strengthen development cooperation and partnership in support of South Africa's national priorities and trilateral co-operation to promote peace and stability of the African continent.
The expected outcome of the visit will include, among others reinvigorated bilateral relations between South Africa and Belgium and Belgium's recommitment to its involvement towards the continued prioritisation of the African Agenda.
Minister Vanackere will also have discussions with the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Lindiwe Sisulu as well as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation on Wednesday in Cape Town.
His visit will culminate in Port Elizabeth, where he will visit the COEGA Development Corporation, where he will do a site visit at the Electrawinds farm, the first wind energy project on the African continent using Belgian technology.
The wind farm signals Belgium's contribution to alternative sources of energy and its efforts to contribute meaningfully to combat climate change.
Belgium is among South Africa's top 10 trading partners and the eighth fastest growing export destination.
The European Union is the number one destination for South African exports and Belgian ports remain an important entry point through which South African exports find their way to countries, both within and outside of the EU.
Main export products from South Africa to Belgium include rough diamonds, iron, fresh fruit, bituminous coal, other ores and manganese dioxide.
Value-added exports primarily include automotive components, catalytic converters, as well as transport containers, road wheels and parts and accessories.
