Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will on Monday host her Austrian counterpart, Sebastian Kurz.
Minister Kurz will be leading a 50-person strong business delegation, including the President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, on a working visit to South Africa.
South Africa enjoys good bilateral relations with Austria, focused primarily on economic exchanges.
In 2015, total trade between Austria and South Africa amounted to R7.76 billion.
South African exports were R0.92 billion and imports at R6.82 billion.
South Africa ranks 6th among Austria’s overseas trading partners and is Austria’s major trading partner in Africa.
Bilateral investment relations remain strong, with the South African Reserve Bank in 2014 recording South African direct investment in Austria at around R43 billion, against about R10 billion of Austrian total direct investment in South Africa.
Major South African businesses in Austria include Mondi, SAPPI Ltd and NET1 Technologies. – SAnews.gov.za
