Mexico City - South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa touched down in Mexico on Monday, 26 October to represent President Jacob Zuma at the Open Government Partnership Global Summit scheduled for Mexico City from 26-28 October 2015. The theme of this year’s summit is “the role of open government in accelerating the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.”
 
During the Open Government Partnership Global Summit South Africa is expected to assume the leadership and chairpersonship of the organisation taking over from the current Chairperson Mexico which led the organisation in the past year.
 
The objective of the Open Government Partnership formed in 2011 and which currently comprises 66 member-states, is to improve government transparency, accountability and responsiveness to citizens with the aim of improving services and reducing poverty.
 
Deputy President Ramaphosa’s delegation to the Global Summit includes South Africa’s Ambassador to Mexico Sandile Nogxina, Deputy Ministers Luwellyn Landers, Ayanda Dlodlo, Mzwandile Masina, Legal Advisor to the Deputy President Nokukhanya Jele and senior government officials.
 
While in Mexico, Deputy President Ramaphosa will pay a courtesy call on Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto later today, Tuesday 27 October to discuss the consolidation of bilateral political, economic and trade relations between the two countries.
 
South Africa and Mexico established diplomatic relations in 1993. A Bi-National Commission, chaired at the level of the two countries’ ministries of international relations was established in 2009 to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
 
Mexico is regarded as South Africa’s biggest trading partner in Latin America after Brazil and Argentina. Bilateral trade has been growing but there has been slump in South Africa’s exports to Mexico in 2013 and 2014. South African companies such as Aspen and Old Mutual have however increased their footprint in Mexico with Aspen having moved into the group of 20 biggest companies in Mexico.
 
Included among key engagements that Deputy President Ramaphosa will undertake will be an address at the Business Breakfast and Trade and Investment Seminar scheduled for Tuesday, 27 October 2015, including a meeting with Carlos Slim the Founder of Grupo Carso, with a view to assuring Mexican business leaders that South Africa remains open for business and investment opportunities.
 
Deputy President Ramaphosa will also have an occasion to hold a meeting with Manilo Fabio Beltrones Rivera, the President of the ruling Mexican political party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party later on Tuesday.
 
Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to return to the Republic of South Africa on 30 October 2015.
 
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa:  +27-82-990-4853
 
The Presidency
Pretoria