Germany to give SA R1bn

South African Foreign Minister Miate Nkoana-Mashabane, left, and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier meeting ahead of the 8th session of the South Africa-Germany BNC in Pretoria. Handout picture: JACOLINE SCHOONEES/ GCIS

South African Foreign Minister Miate Nkoana-Mashabane, left, and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier meeting ahead of the 8th session of the South Africa-Germany BNC in Pretoria. Handout picture: JACOLINE SCHOONEES/ GCIS

Published Nov 22, 2014

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Germany has committed to providing nearly R1 billion rand to South Africa for various joint projects, the German embassy said on Friday.

“A total of E72.5 million, nearly R1 billion rand, were committed by Germany to the government of South Africa for development co-operation,” said embassy spokesman Rainer Breul.

A further R1bn – E38.5m for financial co-operation programmes and E34m for technical co-operation programmes – was also pledged.

A bi-national commission, chaired by Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his South African counterpart Maite Nkoane-Mashabane, finished on friday.

A number of other government officials, public sector leaders, representatives of civil society organisations and academia, and artists attended the talks.

A wide-ranging set of topics were discussed, including the Ebola epidemic, the political situation in South Sudan, and “troubling developments in the Great Lakes region”.

South Africa had a “peace builder” role in countries such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Steinmeier said.

Germany and South Africa confirmed their focus on co-operation on HIV and Aids prevention, governance and public administration and energy and climate issues – in particular, South Africa’s transition to a green economy.

South Africa has been cancelling agreements signed under the apartheid regime, according to German diplomatic sources.

Steinmeier said it was unclear whether South Africa would replace bilateral investment protection agreements.

German companies have investments worth billions of euros in South Africa.

Nkoana-Mashabane said about 600 German companies were expanding their activities in South Africa and that they had “nothing to fear”, adding a promise to review German concerns. -

Sapa-dpa

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