Media Statement

21 July 2021

Deputy Minister Botes to chair the Seventh Meeting of the South Africa – Chile Joint Consultative Mechanism on 22 July 2021

The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, will hold the Seventh South Africa – Chile Joint Consultative Mechanism Meeting with Ms Carolina Valdivia, Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chile, during the afternoon of 22 July 2021.

South Africa’s relations with Chile are mainly anchored through two frameworks. Politically, relations are anchored through the Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM) signed in 1998, which is co-chaired by the respective Deputy Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation.

Economic relations are anchored through the Joint Trade and Investment Commission (JTIC), which is led by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) in South Africa and Directorate for Economic Relation (DIRECON) in Chile. DIRECON is located within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chile. The last session of the JTIC (VI) was held on 19 May 2021.

The objective of the JCM Meeting is to review and strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations with Chile. Some of the topics that will be covered during the meeting, are amongst others, review of bilateral agreements, development and technical cooperation, trade and economic relations, mining and energy, science and technology, sport, arts and culture, mineral and energy, sharing information on efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, and an exchange of notes on regional and multilateral issues.

South Africa and Chile are committed to strengthen and expand bilateral and multilateral relations for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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