Pretoria - The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) is to lead a business delegation to participate in the 7th Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI) to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Minister Rob Davies said the DRC, with a domestic market estimated at 77 million people and bordered by nine countries with a potential market of 200 million consumers, is a strategic market for South Africa.
“Currently, South Africa is the DRC’s number one import source in the world at 21.40%. Total trade between South Africa and DRC is reflective of the regional trend that continues to characterise SA’s trade with African countries.
“There is considerable growth in both exports and imports, however South Africa continues to dominate the terms of trade between the two countries,” he said on Wednesday.
Minister Davies said the trade initiative was aligned with the dti’s post-conflict reconstruction strategy for the DRC, which also entails infrastructure rehabilitation and development, as well as the facilitation of investments into that country’s economy by South African entities.
“This platform enables the objective of strengthening the bilateral relations, both economic and political relations between South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. South African companies participating on this mission will be afforded an opportunity to interface with their Congolese counterparts to forge partnerships and strengthen South African investment in the DRC,” he explained.
The ITI will take place from 14-19 September 2015 in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.
The business delegation compromises businesspeople from the agro-processing and agriculture, infrastructure, built environment professionals, energy, mining and capital equipment, medical equipment, solutions and supplies, as well as electro technical sectors.
The 50-member business delegation, which will depart on Sunday, will participate in business seminars, business-to-business meetings, round tables, as well as site visits. - SAnews.gov.za
