Pretoria, 16 March 2023 (TDI): Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, Candith Mashego Dlamini has begun her regional visit to the West African Countries on the 14th of March.
Deputy Minister Candith Mashego Dlamini arrived in Cotonou, Benin on 14 March, on an official working visit, where she is holding political consultations with her counterparts.
The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relationships between South Africa and Benin. She also discussed political cooperation, and sectoral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues, during the visit to Benin.
In addition, Deputy Minister also met with the Beninese Industry and Trade Minister, Shadiya Alimatou Assouman to underscore and enhance further trade and investment between the two countries.
While in Cotonou, she is also expected to visit the Glo-Djigbe Industrial Zone to further explore trade and investment opportunities between both South Africa and Benin.
Bilateral relations between South Africa and Benin are anchored on the Agreement for the establishment of the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), which was signed in 2015.
A Joint Trade and Investment Committee (JTIC) was also established during the meeting with Minister Shadiya Alimatou Assouman.
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As a prelude to the Deputy Minister’s visit, a Senior Officials Meeting was held in Cotonou on 13 March 2023 and has paved the way and set the framework for substantive discussions between the Deputy Minister and her counterpart.
Notably, South Africa and Benin enjoys warm diplomatic relations since May 1994. After completing the visit to the Republic of Benin, South African Deputy Foreign Minister Candith Mashego Dlamini will head to Lome, Togo.
While there, she will underscore and discuss further enhancing bilateral relations with the Republic of Togo.
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