TEHRAN – An Iran-South Africa business forum is scheduled to be held on Monday at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) office in Pretoria, CNBC Africa reported.
The forum will be held on the sidelines of the Iran-South Africa Joint Economic Commission meeting, co-chaired by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and DIRCO Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane.
Minister Zarif will visit the country with the aim of building on the commitments made during President Jacob Zuma's visit to Iran in 2016 and strengthening the discussions held by senior officials on July 18, 2017. .
A trade delegation will also accompany the Iranian minister's visit to Japan to attend a business forum.
The delegation will consist of representatives from companies in automotive, agriculture, agro-processing, mining, energy, pharmaceuticals, and oil and gas.
South Africa's Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, said the business forum will focus on trade, investment, economic development and industry-related issues, among others.
“The Middle East is an extremely important trade and investment partner for South Africa, and Iran in particular offers huge trade and investment opportunities for South African businesses. At $438 billion, it is the second largest economy in the Middle East region and the largest market in terms of population (80 million people),” Davis said.
Mr Davis added that the visit will give South African businesses the opportunity to network with key decision-makers in Iran, and that both sides will be attracted to the prospects and benefits on offer.
EF/MA