Your Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana,
High Commissioners, 
Honorable Ministers, 
Business Leaders,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Let me begin by warmly welcoming President Nana Akufo-Addo and his delegation. 
 
South Africa and Ghana share a long and rich history defined by our struggle for freedom of our people.
 
This history provides a firm foundation to forge closer economic ties that can spur growth and development in both countries.
 
We are pleased to host this Business Forum to explore business opportunities that enhance our bilateral economic relations.
 
For a long time, Africa has been at the lower-end of global value chains. We have abundant natural resources, but limited productive capability to process them for higher value capture.
 
However, the need for a global transition to a low-carbon future offers the continent new opportunities to upgrade and diversify into technology-intensive global value chains.
 
Our two countries are in a strategic position to benefit from the rapid growth of key clean energy manufacturing industries.
 
Most of the minerals critical for the manufacturing of clean energy technologies, such as battery storage and electric vehicles, are held in Africa.
 
This means that we need to improve manufacturing capacity and scale up production and export through the building of domestic and regional linkages and value chains.
 
It is important to explore practical cooperation between key players in industry to foster effective and mutually beneficial collaboration between our countries to promote green industrialisation.
 
This will help to build on the strong trade and investment links between our economies. 
 
South Africa is already the largest purchaser of Ghanaian exports in Africa, and the third largest importer of Ghana’s products globally. 
 
South Africa and Ghana have untapped economic potential and much more needs to be done, both with regards to growth of total trade and the diversification of products to high value manufactured exports. 
 
There is great potential to unlock economic opportunities through investment-led trade initiatives that are aimed at increasing trade of value-added products between our two countries.
 
As the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Ghana is at the heart of Africa’s transformative regional integration. 
 
We were therefore delighted that Ghana was one of the first destinations of South African exports at the start of preferential trade under the AfCFTA on the 31st of January 2024. 
 
The AfCFTA is a critical platform to enhance both trade and investment relations with a view to promote industrialisation and build competitiveness. 
 
We need to move beyond trade in commodities and on to the purchase of job-creating agricultural goods, advanced manufactured and value-added products. 
 
The importance of Ghana to South Africa as an anchor partner country within West Africa is affirmed by the many South African trade missions to explore business opportunities in the form of investment-led trade. 
 
There have been outgoing trade missions focusing on construction, rail and others over the years. This is in addition to individual missions that have been undertaken by South African government entities, including our state-owned enterprises.
 
On the investment front, South African companies have invested in 53 projects across Ghana with an estimated value of US$ 1.4 billion in capital investment between January 2003 and January 2024. 
 
South Africa has invested in communications, financial and business services, automotive, manufacturing, metals, retail, property development, transportation and others.
 
South African firms have raised concerns regarding regulatory matters and we are keen to have these resolved so that we can increase investment from our country to Ghana. 
 
We also wish to welcome Ghanian companies to invest in South Africa and we invite the private sector in Ghana to send a delegation to the 6th South Africa Investment Conference to be held later this year. 
 
The Bi-National Commission that has just concluded its second session is mandated to give effect to the many bilateral agreements that will facilitate increased trade between the two countries.
 
The deliberations of the Bi-National Commission and the engagements at this Business Forum have provided new impetus to the growth of investment and trade between our two countries.
 
I thank you.
 

Your Excellency, President Akufo-Addo,
Honourable Ministers,
High Commissioners, 
Senior Officials,
Members of the Media,
 
We have now come to the end of the Second Session of the BNC. 
 
 We have exchanged views on several issues affecting our continent and the rest of the world. We have reaffirmed our resolve to work together bilaterally and at the level of the African Union to contribute towards peace, security and development.
 
We have re-affirmed that the African Union remains the primary vehicle which carries our collective aspiration to build the Africa we want, a continent that is united, peaceful and prosperous.
 
We have renewed our determination to do everything within our means, working with our respective Regional Economic Communities, to contribute to peace and stability on the Continent.
 
We have also used this session of the BNC to take stock of our cooperation in all facets of our bilateral relations. We have managed to review areas of mutual bilateral cooperation and noted with great satisfaction the progress achieved to date.
 
I am pleased that we have also witnessed the signing of a number of new Memoranda of Understanding. 
 
These developments add momentum to our relations and call for a hands-on approach to achieve tangible results. 
 
It is true that our political and economic relations have strengthened, and we are more determined and committed to continue to expand our efforts towards ensuring socio-economic development for mutual benefit of our people. 
 
We have identified a pipeline of bankable infrastructure development projects in Ghana, which our development finance institutions are ready to finance. These projects cover rail networks, airports, roads and ports, amongst others.
 
The decline in total trade between our two countries is a reason for us to be concerned, and we should use the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area to substantially expand trade between Ghana and South Africa.
 
Our companies in South Africa have requested me to assure you of their desire and commitment to expand their businesses in Ghana. They appreciate the many opportunities which are available, especially in the development of infrastructure.
 
In conclusion, let me once again thank our Ministers and Senior Officials for all their hard work over the past few days. Our task now is to work together to implement the progressive decisions taken during this session of the BNC.
 
I thank you.
 
 

Your Excellency, President Nana Akufo-Addo of the Republic of Ghana; 
Honourable Ministers;
High Commissioners;
Senior Officials;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good Morning.

Welcome to the Second Session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Ghana.

It is an honour, my dear brother, to receive you and your delegation in this most auspicious year for South Africa, when we mark 30 years since the birth of our democracy.

We know that our freedom would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of the Ghanaian people. 

In 1998 President Nelson Mandela affirmed the deep fraternal bonds between our two countries when he said:

“The history of South Africa’s struggle, our current day thinking and even our plans for the future have many links with Ghana. On gaining its own independence, Ghana provided much strength and great inspiration to the liberation movements of Africa. We were deeply inspired by the ideas emanating from Ghana, through the person of that noble visionary, Kwame Nkrumah.” 

This Second Session of the South Africa-Ghana Bi-National Commission is an opportunity to affirm our friendship once more, to deepen our bilateral ties and to strengthen the noble cause of African economic integration as espoused by the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

As home to the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which brings together the 55 countries of the AU and the eight Regional Economic Communities, Ghana is a leading force in the economic integration and development of our continent. We thank you, Mr President, for lending your support to the Secretariat and to the AfCFTA Secretary-General Mr Wamkele Mene.

We meet at a time when the state of peace and security is fragile, not just in Africa but across the globe.

Internal strife, conflicts and wars, compounded by terrorism and violent extremism, are a major obstacle to peace, security and stability. They threaten to constrain our developmental efforts and our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The situations in Sudan, Somalia, Libya and the Sahel, among others, are of grave concern, as are the armed hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the extremist insurrection in northern Mozambique.

We have to redouble our efforts to Silence the Guns in Africa, and to capacitate the African Union and our Regional Economic Communities to do more in pursuit of peace and stability.

This will be an important year for democracy in Africa, with 19 African countries – including South Africa and Ghana – holding presidential or national elections in 2024. These elections are important for the quality of governance and the strength of democracy on our continent.

We must however be concerned that in several parts of the continent, unconstitutional changes of government, particularly through military coups, are on the rise.

Global developments, such as the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, continue to threaten food and energy security in Africa. 

As African nations, with our own bitter experiences of colonial occupation, we are extremely concerned by the terrible events in Palestine and the suffering unleashed on the people of Gaza. 

On our own continent, the matter of Western Sahara remains unresolved.

As we pursue our own developmental goals, we stand in solidarity with all who continue to suffer the effects of occupation and dispossession.

Mr President, we inaugurated this BNC when you hosted me in Accra in 2020.

There are 24 agreements and memoranda of understanding between South Africa and Ghana covering various areas of economic, technical, scientific, social and cultural cooperation.

We have to accelerate implementation of these agreements and finalise discussions on additional agreements.

One of the recent highlights in our bilateral relations was the signing of the reciprocal visa exemption for ordinary passport holders for a period of 90 days per annum, which entered into force on the 1st of November 2023. 

This has resulted in a considerable increase of travellers between our two countries; contributing not only to tourism but towards enhancing business-to-business links, educational and scientific exchanges, and people-to-people ties.

In addition to the many areas of cooperation that the BNC covers, it is important that we explore how best both countries can increase trade and investment among ourselves. 

The purpose of the Business Forum that will take place on the margins of this BNC is to expand trade and investment between our two countries.

Ghana is host to several South African companies. Our companies are keen to expand their investments in Ghana and look to us to work together to improve the business environment. We invite investors from Ghana to look at opportunities in our country

Collaboration between our private sectors and state-owned entities is particularly important.

Bidding for procurement contracts in each other’s countries, instead of sourcing from outside the continent, would be desirable and commercially viable.

South African companies, including several in the banking sector, have expressed interest in exploring opportunities in line with your country’s investment plans.

There is also scope for collaboration in infrastructure between our two economies, particularly in the building of dry ports, railway networks, airports and hospital facilities. There are also opportunities to be explored in the pre-chemicals sector.

As we are both coastal countries, maritime shipping and the related economy holds potential for us and opportunities should be explored further in this regard.

We need to work together to reverse the decline in trade between our countries over the past four years.

The implementation of preferential trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area is a game-changer and likely to fundamentally transform trade relations on the continent.

On the 31st of January 2024, South Africa sent its first shipment to Ghana and other countries under the AfCFTA Agreement. This is an important first step. 

For many African countries, the start of preferential trade will create great opportunities for growth and development. 

I therefore look forward to our deliberations today and to the opportunities that it will bring for the people of Ghana and South Africa.

I thank you.

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will tomorrow, Wednesday, 13 March 2024, deliver the keynote address at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC+Africa) scheduled to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

GEC+ Africa is a gathering of entrepreneurs and leaders from more than 50 African nations committed to advancing entrepreneurial activity throughout their own countries in Africa.

Hosted by the Department of Small Business Development, the two-day event will include other international thought leaders and practitioners who have become a part of the Global Entrepreneurship Network’s (GEN) movement that advances entrepreneurship as a means of building economies and expanding human welfare.

The Deputy President is expected to highlight progress made by the South African Government in overcoming structural factors and producing some of the continent's most innovative and successful entrepreneurs.

Details of the the event are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Time: 09h00
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre

Media enquiries: Mr. Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to Deputy President Mashatile on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Minister in The Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will this morning, 12 March 2024, participate at Ninety One’s annual Infrastructure Forum in Johannesburg.

The platform spotlights the critical need of investing in public infrastructure and how the savings industry can contribute to South Africa’s infrastructure build.

The Minister will be participating in a keynote panel, where he will share insights on collaboration and reforms in the energy sector. 

Members of the media are invited as follows: 

Date: Tuesday, 12 March 2024
Time: 10:00 
Venue: The Houghton Hotel, Lloyds Ellis Ave, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg 

Media can rsvp by sending their details to Kotie Basson on 082 375 1317

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane, Spokesperson in the Ministry of Electricity |Cell: 082 084 5566 | tsakane@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: GCIS on behalf of the Ministry in The Presidency for Electricity
Pretoria