SA welcomes new ambassadors

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed nine new ambassadors to South Africa.

The President said the new ambassadors will assist to strengthen relations between their respective countries and South Africa. The ambassadors hail from afar afield as Angola, Austria, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Jamaica, the Republic of Korea, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Uruguay and Zimbabwe.

“Your presence here is a firm indication of the commitment of your respective governments to maintain and deepen relations with South Africa.

“We firmly believe in the indivisible unity of humanity and that we share a responsibility to continuously strive to settle differences between countries peacefully and permanently,” said President Ramaphosa at the official welcoming ceremony held at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse on Tuesday.

The Letters of Credence ceremony was preceded by President Ramaphosa’s working visit to Mauritania, where he participated in the 31st Ordinary Session Assembly African Union Summit.

During the summit, President Ramaphosa signed the African Free Trade Area agreement, which he said would pave the way for intra-regional trade and boost the economies of the respective countries.

In keeping with the spirit of growing the continental economy and boosting job creation, President Ramaphosa called on the ambassadors to use their appointments to support South Africa on its investment drive.

“It is an understanding that jobs will not be created and poverty will not be reduced unless we grow our economy. We have appointed four special envoys for investment, who are meeting potential investors both in South Africa and abroad.

“It is our wish that we will use the good relations between our countries as the basis for greater levels of investment and bilateral trade, which will promote economic activity and development in our respective countries,” said the President. - SAnews.gov.za