Pretoria - A 21-gun salute rang out across the chilly Union Buildings on Friday morning during a ceremony to welcome Michelle Bachelet Jeria, the President of Chile, to the country.
Bachelet is in the country for official talks aimed at strengthening relations between SA and Chile.
The cannons drew attention from visitors, who stood below the Union Buildings’ driveway to try to get a glimpse of the procession.
Bachelet walked down the red carpet to the sound of the military band playing South African and Chilean national anthems. Several Cabinet Ministers were present to witness the occasion.
She and President Jacob Zuma then stood side by side at the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre, framed by the South African and Chilean national flags.
President Zuma is hosting Bachelet, who is in in the country for a two-day State Visit.
Once the formalities were concluded, the Presidents left for a meeting behind closed doors, where they are expected to review progress on key areas of bilateral co-operation.
According to the official programme, the two are expected to brief the media just before noon.
South Africa and Chile are both developing countries; both are in a transition stage to full democracy after years of repressive regimes.
Both countries are supporters of the concept of stronger South-South co-operation and share common experiences and challenges.
One of the best examples of how Chile and South Africa have learnt from each other, is the fact that the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission was based in part on the Chilean Rettig Commission, created under former President Patricio Aylwin Azocar, to investigate abuses under the Pinochet regime.
The State Visit, according to the Presidency, takes place within the context of promoting the already sound bilateral and economic relations between the two countries.
South Africa and Chile enjoy cordial bilateral relations. The South Africa-Chile Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM), established in 1998, continues to serve a constructive purpose in the on-going political dialogue between the two countries at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.
South Africa is Chile's largest trading partner in Africa, making South Africa one of the largest foreign investors in the Chilean mining sector.
South African companies also regularly participate in large international mining exhibitions that take place in Chile (EXPOMIN, EXPONOR and Electra Mining Exhibition).
The top exports from South Africa are steel and steel products, which amounts to 61.6% of total exports.
Although South Africa is a modest market for Chilean exports, South Africa remains by far Chile’s largest African trading partner with 37% of Chilean exports to Africa destined for South Africa.
Bachelet, who is also the immediate predecessor of former Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as Head of the United Nations Entity for the Empowerment of Women and Gender Equality, landed at Waterkloof Air Force Base last night.
Her two-day state visit will include visiting Cape Town, where she will deliver a keynote address at the 12th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture. – SAnews.gov.za
