Media Invite
17 April 2023
Minister Pandor to host the Norway Minister of Foreign Affairs for High-Level Consultations
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, will on Wednesday, 19 April 2023, host the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Ms Anniken Huitfeldt, for the Sixth Session of the South Africa–Norway High-Level Consultations.
The Ministers are expected to review the status of bilateral political and economic relations.
Discussions will also focus on issues of peace and security in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, as well as discussions on multilateralism and the rule of law.
Relations between South Africa and Norway are well-established, mature and mutually beneficial. Since 1994, through the respective government programmes and commitments, an excellent foundation has been created that is serving our mutual benefit in the current international environment.
South Africa and Norway enjoy excellent political and economic relations and cooperate on a wide range of interlinking global issues, including global health, climate change, energy, sustainable blue economy, peace and reconciliation (including women’s peace and security) and trade and investment.
Norway has become an important player in South Africa’s energy sector. The Norwegian company Scatec Solar is constructing Africa’s largest solar farm at Kenhardt in the Northern Cape. This project will have an installed output capacity of 540 MW, and 1, 140 MWh of battery storage.
Trade relations between South Africa and Norway continue to grow at a steady rate. Trade increased by 6% to R4.5 billion in 2020 but declined by 29% in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New Norwegian Investments of over R20b were announced during the Fourth SAIC.
South Africa and Norway also cooperate closely on issues of Mediation and Peacebuilding and are partners on the “Gertrude Shope Annual Dialogue Forum on Conflict Resolution and Peace-making”. The programme was extended to include capacity building for women peace mediators in 2018 and thus far, 850 mediators have been trained.
Members of the media are invited to cover the opening remarks as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Time: 09h00
Venue: OR Tambo Building
RSVP: Kgopotso Rapakuana, rapakuanak@dirco.gov.za, 073 0583876
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084