Remarks by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, on the occasion of the Joint Media Briefing with Minister Schallenberg of Austria, DIRCO Media Briefing Room, OR Tambo Building, Pretoria, 14 December 2023
Your Excellency, Minister Schallenberg,
Your Excellencies the Ambassadors of Austria to South Africa and of South Africa to Austria,
Members of the South African and Austrian media,
I wish to begin by once again thanking Minister Schallenberg for honouring my invitation to come to South Africa for the meeting we just concluded and for other engagements aimed at solidifying relations between our two countries.
South Africa’s bilateral relations with Austria are sound and on an upward trajectory, with South Africa having successfully hosted the Third Meeting of the South Africa-Austria Bilateral Consultations in Pretoria on 7 June 2022, after a two-year hiatus, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The main areas of South Africa-Austria bilateral cooperation are:
- renewable energy
- wastewater treatment, recycling and organic agriculture
- innovation/digitalisation
- environmental technologies.
During our deliberations today we discussed the status of our bilateral cooperation as well as regional developments on the continent, current international developments and our robust cooperation in the multilateral arena.
South Africa welcomes the growing overall trade between our countries as well as the rising tourism numbers from Austria. We appreciate the valuable contribution that Austrian companies are making in South Africa, particularly in job creation, skills development and technology transfer.
It is therefore very fitting that Minister Schallenberg and his delegation will engage with South African Business in a Business Forum arranged by our Department of Trade, Investment and Competition this afternoon.
Austria is renowned for its vocational training and South Africa is keen to engage the Austrian government on the possibilities of establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Austria in the field of Vocational Training.
Minister Schallenberg and our Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Arts and Culture during the opening of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Pretoria tonight, which is a further illustration of our increased bilateral and people-to people cooperation.
South Africa appreciates Austria’s global standing, reputation and advanced technological capability in the renewable energy space, which make Austria a natural partner for South Africa.
Minister, once again I welcome you and your delegation and wish you a successful and pleasant stay in South Africa.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
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Pretoria
0084