Launch of an Economic Committee Switzerland – South Africa

Bern, 13.05.2008 - Doris Leuthard, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA), will receive South African Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa in Bern on Thursday 15 May 2008. Together, the two ministers will officially launch the Swiss-South African "Joint Economic Committee".

South African Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa will pay an official visit to Switzerland on 14 and 15 May. The aim of this visit is to officially launch the Joint Economic Committee with South Africa. The Committee was proposed during Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard's trip to South Africa, and was expressly mentioned in the "Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Mutual Cooperation between the Government of the Swiss Confederation and the Government of the Republic of South Africa" signed by Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey and South African Foreign Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on 8 March 2008.

The Joint Economic Committee Switzerland - South Africa co-chaired by Switzerland and South Africa will convene for the first time in Zurich on 14 May. The talks during committee sessions should permit a detailed analysis of the difficulties in our bilateral economic relations with South Africa and a discussion of joint approaches to solving these problems. The delegations will include representatives from both the administration and the private sector.

In addition to this first session of the Joint Economic Committee, the two ministers are scheduled to hold a working meeting. The agenda for this meeting will include the continuation of the positive dialogue initiated at the South African Mission and a further examination of important economic dossiers. Issues relating to the WTO Doha Round, to the EFTA -SACU free trade agreement and to intellectual property rights will also be discussed.

South Africa is by far the largest export market on the African continent for Switzerland. With a bilateral trade volume of around CHF 1.85b (2007), South Africa holds a mid-table position among our trade partners. In 2007, South African exports amounted to CHF 1b, while Swiss exports amounted to CHF 805b. With the EFTA -SACU free trade agreement coming into effect on 1 May 2008, further positive impulses were generated. As of the end of 2006, Swiss direct investment was valued at nearly CHF 5b. According to statistics from the South African Reserve Bank, during this same time, Switzerland ranked fifth on the list of the most important foreign investors in South Africa.


Address for enquiries

Evelyn Kobelt, Press Spokesperson FDEA, Tel. +41 (0)31 32 220 59, Mobile +41 79 301 71 72


Publisher

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
http://www.wbf.admin.ch

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