French president arrives in South Africa to promote ties

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French president arrives in South Africa to promote ties

( ) 18:53, October 14, 2013

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JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 14 -- French President Francois Hollande arrived in Pretoria on Monday for his first two-day state visit to South Africa to promote bilateral ties.

The visit will take relations between the two countries to a higher level, the South African Presidency said.

South African President Jacob Zuma will meet with Hollande later in the day to discuss a wide range of issues, including cooperation on peace and security in the continent and in promoting Africa's regional infrastructure development program and economic integration initiatives.

"South Africa will engage France informed by the country's new socio-economic blueprint, the National Development Plan (NDP), which spells out what society in South Africa should be by the year 2030, prioritizing inclusive economic growth, job creation and prosperity," presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said.

"Economic discussions will take place particularly against the background of the two key instruments which now fall under the NDP umbrella -- the New Growth Path (NGP) and the Industrial Action Policy Plan," said Maharaj.

The NGP outlines six job drivers that the South African economy should focus on. These are infrastructure development, agriculture, mining and beneficiation, manufacturing, the green economy and tourism.

"The state visit will particularly be used to deepen cooperation in areas such as manufacturing, skills development, energy, maritime, agriculture, science and technology, arts and culture and development cooperation," Maharaj said.

Zuma is scheduled to attend the African peace and security summit that will be hosted by President Hollande in France in December, according to the Presidency.

South Africa values its relations with the European Union, the Presidency said.

France is South Africa's third largest trading and investment partner within the European Union. A number of French public and private companies have made significant investments in South Africa. Between 2004 and 2012, investments worth 15 billion rands (about 1.5 billion U. S. dollars) by French companies were recorded, creating significant job opportunities, according to figures from the South African government.

During the visit, a number of agreements and declarations of intent will be signed in different areas of cooperation, signalling expansion in the bilateral relationship.

The signing of these agreements will spur cooperation in such areas energy, maritime, agriculture, transport infrastructure, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation said.