Deputy President to strengthen SA-Italian ties

Mlambo-Ngcuka and Pahad's visit, from 5 - 8 September, is in pursuit of implementing South Africa and Africa's development agenda, with a focus on strengthening political and economic relations with the EU state.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Mlambo-Ngcuka will pay a courtesy call on His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday and hold discussions with her Italian counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Massimo D'Alema.

The deputy president will also address the Ambrosetti Forum on the theme "The World: Key Current Challenges" at Lake Como, Cernobbio, on Friday.

The visit with the Italian Government is expected to include:

• the current status of political, economic and trade relations, and prospects for increased relations;
  
• co-operation within the framework of AsgiSA and JIPSA;
  
• preparations for the official visit of Italian Prime Minister Romani Prodi to South Africa in 2008;
  
• a briefing on developments within the European and African Unions;
  
• the main outcomes of the recent SADC Summit,
  
• preparations for the European Union – Africa summit in Lisbon in December; and
  
• enhanced co-operation within the United Nations as both countries are presently non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Established in 1975, the Ambrosetti Forum is Italy's version of the World Economic Forum and sees Heads of State, top representatives of European institutions and Italian cabinet ministers come together to discuss issues of greatest impact for the global economy.

Earlier this year, a South African delegation, comprising government and business representatives, visited Italy to discuss training and investment opportunities in the agriculture sector.

This prospect emanates from a meeting between Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Minister Lulu Xingwana, and the Italian Ambassador in South Africa, Alessandro Cevese.

In a series of trade missions between the two countries, Minister Lulu Xingwana lead the delegation to further explore possibilities of business and joint ventures in agro-processing, the cold-chain (refridgerated goods) and agriculture product distribution.

An evaluation of the Italian economy by South Africa led to the identification of the following sectors for investment promotion purposes:

• Agro-processing
  
• Textiles and Clothing
  
• Leather and Footwear
  
• Furniture
  
• Automotive
  
• Tourism
  
• Jewellery
  
• ICT

Italy ranks amongst South Africa's top ten trading partners.

The Department of Trade and Industry reported earlier this year that South African exports to Italy are dominated by precious and non-ferrous metals, basic iron and steel and ferro-alloys, coal, and quarried stone/granite.

Some value added South African products are increasingly penetrating the Italian market.

In the food sector these include processed and preserved fish and fish products, fruit and vegetable crops and the production, processing and preserving of meat and meat products.

South African imports from Italy consist mainly of machine tools, auto vehicles and their components, industrial machinery, jewellery and telecommunications equipment.

Principal Italian investors in South Africa include FIAT Auto, dairy and processed food supplier Parmalat, Costantini (furniture), Silmar (gold jewellery) and airport operator Aeroporti di Roma.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews