Credit: .diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/      French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian  meets with South Africa Minister  of International Relations and Co-operation Lindiwe Sisulu  in Pretoria Feb. 28, 2019 

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France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian is on a three-day visit in South Africa.  According to a statement Friday by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs spokesperson, “South Africa is a major economic partner of France; it shares with us the values of tolerance, democracy and attachment to multilateralism, which our diplomatic services promote together.”  Le Drian landed in South Africa city Pretoria Feb 28 and will conclude his visit March 2.  South Africa is a major economic partner of France.  In fact, South Africa is  France’s largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa (€2.9 billion in trade in 2017, with a surplus of almost €700 million). Some 400 French firms, from large groups to SMEs and start-ups, operate in all sectors and employ more than 37,000 people in the country, according to the French  Foreign Ministry.   Le Drian met with his counterpart South Africa Minister  of International Relations and Co-operation Lindiwe Sisulu  in Pretoria Feb. 28 at the “Forum for Political Dialogue”  The ministers discussed bilateral relations, with respect to development cooperation, education, culture, research and economic relations.  In addition, crucial international issues were discussed – the fight against global warming, peace and security – and France strengthening its dialogue with South Africa, whether at the UN Security Council, within the framework of the French presidency of the G7, or in other forums.

Le Drian will also meet in Pretoria leaders of French firms established in South Africa and a delegation of SMEs exploring business opportunities in the region. He will visit the Saint-Gobain plant in Germiston, which is one of the largest French facilities in South Africa in terms of jobs (1500),  and which is developing a unique training program for the plant’s neighboring communities. In Cape Town, he will visit the start-up Jumo, supported by the French Development Agency, which is developing a digital platform to provide micro-credit: Almost 10 million people in Africa and Asia have already benefited from its services.  Le Drian is scheduled to visit the NGO “Waves for Change” in Khayelitsha, near Cape Town, which works with young people from South Africa’s coastal communities.