SA ministers to attend Africa summit

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivers the 2014 Budget Speech in the National Assembly in Parliament, Cape Town. 26/02/2014, Siyabulela Duda, GCIS

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivers the 2014 Budget Speech in the National Assembly in Parliament, Cape Town. 26/02/2014, Siyabulela Duda, GCIS

Published May 5, 2014

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Pretoria - Three Cabinet members will represent South Africa at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa Summit in Nigeria, the presidency said on Monday.

They are Trade Minister Rob Davies, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Co-operative Governance Minister Lechesa Tsenoli.

The summit would be held from Wednesday until Friday in Abuja, the presidency said in a statement.

President Jacob Zuma said in the statement Africa remained central to South Africa's foreign policy.

“We have also prioritised the promotion of regional economic integration, infrastructure development, intra-African trade and sustainable development in the continent.”

He said the WEF was an important platform to take this agenda forward, particularly as it enabled Africa to interact with the rest of the world to promote growth and development.

African political and business leaders, from Africa and around the world, would discuss structural reforms and investments that could help sustain Africa's growth, create jobs and prosperity.

Gordhan would lead the South African delegation to the summit. He said the summit took place at a time of improved outlook for economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa.

“In its most recent regional economic outlook, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa will pick up from 4.9 percent in 2013 to 5.5 percent this year, an acceleration which the IMF ascribed to improved prospects in a large number of countries in the region,” Gordhan said.

Sapa

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