Pretoria - South Africa and Benin have signed a cooperation deal that will boost flights between the two countries.
Known as the Bilateral Agreement on Air Services, the deal is also expected to eliminate the need for visas for citizens of either country visiting the other.
This was reached on Sunday when President Jacob Zuma was on a state visit to the West African nation as part of strengthening the friendly and brotherly relations uniting the two countries.
Zuma used the one-day visit constructively with his counterpart Thomas Boni Yayi.
The two confirmed their willingness to establish between the two countries a strategic partnership -- which will mainly be facilitated by the business community -- to help Benin establish development-oriented infrastructure such as transport, renewable energy and mines.
In this regard, Yayi renewed his invitation to the business fraternity and investors of South Africa to come to Benin in order to discover the business opportunities availed by his country as well as the potential and assets of its economy.
According to a joint communique, the two Heads of State also exchanged views on the socio-political crises and other armed conflicts threatening peace, the role of the African Union and the stability in Africa and worldwide.
"In this regard, they expressed their concerns over the increasing economic and political difficulties the continent has to face and expressed the need for strengthening this organisation [AU] so as to enable it to better take up its new challenges," reads the communique.
Zuma was bestowed with the Grand Cross, Benin's highest distinction as well as an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Abomey-Calavi for his steady commitment for the promotion of peace, stability and sustainable development in Africa and in the world.
In his acceptance speech at Abomey-Calavi, Zuma highlighted his personal passion for education and what government was doing to improve it. He said his passion arose from his inability to get an education due to his poor background as well as the apartheid legacy which gave black children poor education.
He said education was a major priority in government, which receives the highest budget allocation.
In the 2010/2011 budget, R65 billion was allocated to the Department of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training, R17 billion more than in 2009/2010.
The number of children who did not pay school fees because of poverty had increased from 5.2 million to over 14 million.
"This will raise the school enrolment of children aged 7 - 15 in my country to 98% by 2014, which will also help us to meet Millennium Development Goals obligations and also help many South Africans to be active role players in the advancement of our democracy," said the President.
He said it was high time African leaders put their focus on education as it was a vital instrument for the promotion of justice, democracy and development.
"We have obtained our political freedom. To go further and achieve the economic freedom we so desire, we have so decided to invest in education and skills development," added Zuma.
