14th South Africa-United States Annual Bilateral Forum, 21 October 2024
The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria hosted the 14th U.S.-South Africa Annual Bilateral Forum (ABF) on 7 October 2024, co-chaired by Ambassador Maud Dlomo, Deputy Director-General: Americas and Europe at DIRCO, and U.S. Ambassador Dr Reuben E. Brigety, II.
The ABF is a cornerstone of the U.S.-South Africa Strategic Partnership, reinforcing collaboration aligned with the U.S. Strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa’s National Development Plan. Both countries emphasised their continued commitment to strengthening ties across key sectors, with a shared focus on South Africa’s upcoming G20 Presidency in 2025 and the U.S. Presidency in 2026.
The United States and South Africa emphasised the importance and centrality of bilateral cooperation to address shared priorities for promoting democracy, prosperity, and security. The ABF highlighted key areas of cooperation, including:
- Development Cooperation: The parties highlighted the strong partnership between the two countries under the Mega Assistance Agreement (MAA) which entered into force in September 2018. Under the MAA, USAID supports the Government of South Africa on mutually agreed upon activities in the sectors of health; economic growth and agriculture; environment and energy; education and youth; and democracy and governance.
- Trade and Investment: The parties lauded the close collaboration between the two countries which resulted in the successful hosting of the 20th AGOA Forum in Johannesburg in November 2023. Both nations reaffirmed the robust trade relationship supported by AGOA and welcomed the overwhelming support from all stakeholders, as expressed at the 21st AGOA Forum in Washington DC in June 2024, for the timely renewal and modernisation of AGOA, including to better align it with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Both nations further agreed to strengthen bilateral trade and investment linkages and to tackle barriers to trade, with a focus on transformative sectors like information and communications technology.
- Agriculture: Discussion was held on opportunities to progress agricultural trade and market access, with both sides pledging to increase opportunities for agricultural cooperation.
- Health: The parties celebrated the long-standing biomedical research collaboration between the two nations in a wide range of priority health programs and partnerships, covering areas such as HIV, tuberculosis (TB), Mpox, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) respiratory diseases, mental health, genomic research, global health security, capacity building, disease surveillance, laboratory enhancements, antimicrobial resistance, research, and food security. In addition, the parties acknowledged the historic and impactful partnership between the two nations under the PEPFAR framework, which has helped prevent new HIV infections and save millions of lives. South Africa, in partnership with PEPFAR, continues to work toward joint political commitments to reach the 95-95-95 UNAIDS goals and reduce inequalities and resulting HIV infections. The parties further agreed to continue to build on the gains in health systems that have been acquired during COVID-19 and strengthen the bilateral partnership for future response to pandemic threats.
- Science, Technology, and Innovation: The Forum highlighted strides in science and technology collaboration, particularly in health innovation which has seen collaborative research and development (R&D) programmes on the development of new vaccine candidates, discovery of new biomarkers and understanding the human genome to ensure more accurate biomedical treatments and the use of data science to advance health sciences in both countries. The U.S. continues to support mRNA vaccine manufacturing in South Africa, further enhancing workforce development and regulatory capacity. A vibrant set of ongoing R&D programmes in space science and astronomy, renewable energy, and bioeconomy have been established over the years. The parties will explore opportunities in emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing and support exchanges for technology startups and training programmes for women in science.
- Higher and Basic Education: Both countries celebrated the success of the University Partnership Initiative, which has increased collaborative activities between U.S. and South African universities and pledged to enhance cooperation in Early Childhood Development and literacy programs. South Africa also anticipates finalising a Memorandum of Understanding linking Peace Corps programs with the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, alongside deepening ties with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The parties acknowledged the positive impact of infrastructure projects in education and health, specifically with the expansion/renovation of existing clinics and school classroom blocks, with assistance from the Humanitarian Assistance Programme of the US Department of Defence Cooperation.
- Youth empowerment: The parties highlighted various initiatives by USAID aimed at empowering and skilling young people, including the PEPFAR DREAMS Initiative Program targeted at adolescent girls, the Harambee Youth Employment accelerator which has launched the Inclusive Digital Employment Activity (IDEA,) to connect youth with disabilities to earning opportunities in the digital sector, and capacity support to education institutions to address the youth unemployment crisis and providing a transitional bridge between TVET college graduates and workplace absorption.
- Customs and Border Control: Ongoing efforts to improve border security and trade compliance were praised, to include international port security exchanges and the signing of the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport-Airports Company South Africa Sister Airports Agreement. Both sides look forward to continued cooperation in civil aviation matters.
- Environmental Cooperation: Both nations underscored their commitment to addressing climate change and improving conservation efforts, including combatting wildlife crime and supporting water resource management. The United States congratulated South Africa on the enactment of the Climate Change Act.
- Energy: The parties looked forward to strengthening collaboration to support the decarbonisation of South Africa’s economy under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JET-P), including through targeted support for the JET Investment Plan (JET-IP). The parties look forward to finalising the modernised U.S. – South Africa Agreement on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy and smooth implementation of the agreed areas of cooperation for mutual benefit.
- New Bilateral Initiatives in Labour and Health: The establishment of a new Labour Working Group resulted from years of collaboration. Both countries reinforced their high-level commitment to advancing workers’ rights to build sustainable jobs and increase economic prosperity. The establishment of a Bilateral Health Forum under the health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding marked key milestones, focusing on health challenges such as HIV, tuberculosis, and global health security.
- Safety and Security: U.S. and South African officials committed to enhancing law enforcement collaboration, addressing critical issues like gender-based violence, wildlife trafficking, extraditions, the provision of mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The parties welcomed the signing by South Africa of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which will strengthen capacity at local forensic laboratories in the fight against crime. The parties further welcomed the commitment by both sides to strengthen bilateral defence relations, including through improved communications to advance shared interests in the defence partnership. The next Defence Committee meeting is scheduled for November 2024.
- G20 collaboration: Both countries welcomed opportunities to work together during South Africa’s G20 Presidency in 2025 to tackle development and health challenges, particularly across Africa and the Global South. They further looked forward to working together in the next G20-Troika, which will include the U.S. presidency in 2026.
This year’s ABF also acknowledged the Atlanta Phambili Initiative as an important vehicle to realise our common objective to strengthen the historic connections between Atlanta and South Africa, capitalising on shared legacies in civil rights, creative industries, and economic dynamism. The parties look forward to working collaboratively across various sectors to deepen ties between Atlanta and South Africa by leveraging shared cultural, economic, and civil rights legacies. This initiative underscores the importance of strategic partnerships and high-level engagement to promote prosperity, knowledge exchange, and mutual understanding.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to renew and deepen the bilateral relationship based on shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, inclusion, respect, and equal opportunities for all citizens.
The parties looked forward to continued progress in bilateral cooperation until the 15th Annual Bilateral Forum in 2025.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084