Pretoria - Team South Africa has concluded their participation in the 26th World Economic Forum for Africa in Kigali, Rwanda.
The team, led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and comprising government and business leaders, attended the three-day forum which focused on long-term investing, infrastructure and development; food security and agriculture, and the future of the internet.
The forum was held under the theme "Connecting Africa's resources through digital transformation”.
Team SA used WEF Africa 2016 to promote South Africa as being open to business.
They also assured potential investors that South Africa remains a preferred investment destination and communicated the positive message that the country’s macro-economic environment remains resilient, with a dynamic and stable economy underpinned by solid economic fundamentals, the Presidency said.
Deputy President Ramaphosa's delegation included Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan; Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies; Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Siyabonga Cwele; Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel and Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Jeff Radebe.
The senior leadership of Eskom, the Industrial Development Corporation, Old Mutual, ArcelorMittal, and Business Unity South Africa formed part of Team South Africa.
Addressing a media conference at the end of the forum, Deputy President Ramaphosa said the deliberations had proved that Africa was on the move, and had enabled South Africa's private and public sectors to form useful relationships regionally and internationally.
"As Team South Africa, the journey here has been really worthwhile; it has been a fruitful visit. South African businesses have made valuable contacts with other businesses [and] our state-owned enterprises have had occasion to interact with SOEs and business from other countries, and have formed useful relationships.”
Deputy President Ramaphosa reiterated that "South Africa has the political will to create an investor-friendly environment”.
Minister Radebe said the African Union's Agenda 2063 was being implemented through infrastructure development and the implementation of infrastructure in the North-South Corridor was being fast-tracked.
In keeping with the theme of the forum, Minister Cwele said South Africa was learning from East Africa how cellphone roaming costs could be reduced. He added that Africa's challenges provide opportunities for innovation.
One the sidelines of the summit, the Deputy President paid a courtesy call on Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Deputy President Ramaphosa said South Africa wanted to deepen relations with Rwanda, from which South Africa could learn a great deal.
On Monday, he is expected to pay a working visit to South Sudan where he will hold discussions with President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar.
Deputy President Ramaphosa will visit South Sudan in his capacity as Special Envoy of President Jacob Zuma to that country.
The discussions, the Presidency said, will take place against the background of concerted efforts to end the conflict in South Sudan, the reunification of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement, and post-conflict reconstruction and development in the country. - SAnews.gov.za
