Pretoria, 2 July 2022 (TDI): The Joint Communique of the Republic of South Africa and Spain made progress in Madrid, the capital of Spain.
Madrid hosted the 14th round of Bilateral Consultations on Friday to revive the in-person format after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Additionally, the meeting confirmed the reaffirmation of ties of friendship and solidarity between the two countries.
The public has been celebrating the resumption of the positive consultations and exchange of visits between Spain and South Africa.
The Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs of Spain and the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of the Republic of South Africa co-chaired the meeting.
An Introduction to Spain-South Africa 14th Round of Bilateral Consultations
The meeting took place under the provisions of the initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The initial MoU was born in December 2000.
The meeting emphasized the significance of reviving the bilateral cooperation between Spain and South Africa.
Moreover, the meeting underscored several areas with a particular focus on common interests. Such areas include bilateral economics and multilateral regional collaboration.
Meanwhile, the co-chairs both agreed on the coordination in maximizing the business opportunities to fight unemployment and inequality.
Furthermore, representatives from the two countries discussed the possibilities for bilateral trade and investment offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as well.
Also, the meeting discussed South Africa’s priorities for the presidency of BRICS in 2023.
The meeting offered a chance to exchange viewpoints on various international issues including the war in Ukraine and its impacts on Africa.
Simultaneously, both sides also exchanged remarks on the situation in Sahel and West Sahara and the insurgency in Mozambique.
The meeting also touched upon the possible opportunities for bilateral cooperation between European Union and African Union.
Last but not least, the meeting also covered the Just Energy Transition Partnership between Spain and South Africa.
Collaboration in strengthening multilateralism was reiterated. The meeting also focused on cooperation within the health sector.
The opportunities for collective research by the Society of Spanish Researchers were also highlighted.
